


A Wedding For The Ages

by Genital_WarThunder



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-26 15:48:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 28,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20744708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genital_WarThunder/pseuds/Genital_WarThunder
Summary: Almost a year has passed since Thane Stormheart and Pyrrha Nikos declared their love. As the days grow shorter and the Winter Winds rise, the two approach the next step in their relationship with trepidation but find their progress stalled by one shocking announcement. Will this revelation bring them closer? Or will it tear them apart more than the grimm ever could?





	A Wedding For The Ages

The crisp azure sky pierced the threshold of the room. Pyrrha stirred as the wolf furs tickled her bare skin; she rolled over to greet her man. She peeked over his shoulder and felt his muscles tense when she touched him, then relax. She absent-mindedly began braiding a few strands of his hair, which reached below his shoulders.  
The man rolled over. Her braid came undone and his dark chocolate eyes met hers from under a warm shade of ivory. He stretched, muscles flexing across his chest and arms as he worked off the stress and strain of an active night. A small satisfied smile played on his lips.  
Every time their eyes met, an odd sensation tickled Pyrrha’s mind. His eyes would marvel at her like any other, only it was as if he was noticing her for the first time. It felt like she would vanish if he took his eyes off her, even for a second. On one hand, the unfamiliar feeling made her uncomfortable, but, on the other, no one had ever looked at her like that. Only him, and that made her press her lips to his every time.  
“That trick you did with your tongue,” Pyrrha broke the kiss and drew circles with her finger on his shoulder. “You haven’t been talking to Yang, have you? Or is that how all princes treat their ladies?”  
“No idea,” he shrugged. “I just wanted to kiss you there. You seemed to like it.”  
Pyrrha giggled, “‘Like’ wouldn’t be the word I’d use.”  
Pyrrha’s hand began to wonder. Her delicate fingers traced a scar on his chest, “How about that one?”  
“Lance,” he answered. “This highborn cunt thought he could win the tourney if he tipped his lance. The look on his face when I tore him from his horse was priceless.” His calloused thumb traced a scar on her hip, “What about you?”  
“I was on a trip to Mistral,” Pyrrha began, “There was this grand waterfall, and me, being a stupid fifteen-year-old at the time, decided to jump from the top. The dust crystals in the cavern were so beautiful, I didn’t even notice when one cut me open.” Her fingers went lower to another on his abs. Gods be praised I could sharpen Milo on those bad boys, she thought. “How about this one?”  
“Sword,” he recalled. “Unlike the first one, this one fought honorably. We shared a few drinks to celebrate his victory.”  
“Really?” Pyrrha asked.  
“Of course,” he nodded. “He won, fair and square.” He traced across several scars across her arms and back, “What about these?”  
“Oh!” Pyrrha grew excited thinking about them, “My latest tournament! My opponent had two bladed-whips. I figured that, since it was metal, I could easily take her down. I was wrong. She knew exactly how to use them, and she was freakishly fast with them, too! She got one around my arm, the other around my neck, and she kept throwing me around the arena. I couldn’t focus enough to use my semblance. She released my arm and tried to finish me off, but I managed to dodge it at the last second. I stood up and began wrapping myself in her whip while drawing into her. It was extremely unpleasant, but, once I was right in front of her, I jabbed her in the throat, and I won.”  
“Bravo,” he clapped.  
Pyrrha smiled with pride as her wandering fingers found a nasty scar above his left hip, “What happened here?”  
“My first battle outside of a tournament,” he began. “Damn bastard had an arakh and a horse. He got his pound of flesh, then I got mine. I swung low, severed the legs of his horse, he went flying, and broke his neck when he landed.” He ran his hand through her scarlet locks, “How about this one?”  
Pyrrha blushed, “I fell of my bike when I was three.”  
He stifled a laugh, “What?! Not everything is tournaments and cliff jumping!”  
Through Pyrrha’s pouting, he eventually stifled his laughter and nodded. “You’re right. You also should be getting back to Beacon.”  
“I think we have some time to kill,” Pyrrha suggested.  
“Last time you said that you missed a whole day of class,” he chuckled.  
“Fine,” Pyrrha got off the bed. She moaned when her aura healed the claw marks on her back. “You animal.”  
His vocal cords shifted, and he unleashed a small dragon’s roar. She winked and got dressed. She was at the door when she turned around.  
“I love you,” she blushed.  
“I love you too,” he smiled.  
Pyrrha couldn’t get out of there fast enough. She was against the door, hyperventilating, with her cheeks matching her flaming hair. Her heart was jackhammering in her chest as she squealed with delight. She saw Hunter, her faithful cerberus, on the floor tilting his three heads.  
“He said it!” Pyrrha hugged the pup, “He said it! He said it!”  
When she put him down, Hunter began to jump around ready to play. Pyrrha scratched each head before going off to the library.  
The library stood in behind two ornate doors with the Stormhaven crest, a spider with a five-pointed star on its abdomen, circled by a chain made with a variety of links. The spider’s head came alive and looked down at Pyrrha as she came before the doors. She pulled out a pocket diary. The diary was enveloped in a yellow aura as it was lifted into the spider’s mouth. It returned to its wooden state before splitting in half, opening the massive doors. The two walked in and saw three bookcases with seven shelves.  
She walked past the deceptive bookshelves and into the real library. The circular floor she was standing on had to have been a quarter mile in diameter at least. Looking up she saw nine more floors just like it and below she saw ten more for a grand total of twenty. Each one was filled with cases upon cases of books. Chrome Spiders big as hounds patrolled each floor consuming any insects that dared to harm the pages within. Books of varying shapes, sizes, colors, languages, time periods were all at her fingertips.  
“Good morning Arachanox!” Pyrrha shouted.  
Descending from the roof was a colossal chrome spider. Numerous scrolls of parchment were tied to his abdomen, he wore a pair of bifocals that covered his eight eyes. They were the dark emptiness of a midnight sky, until they changed color depending on what kind of knowledge was needed for that particular conversation, “Hello Pyrrha! Did you know that you’re here almost as much as Blake? Only you don’t come here for the books, do you?”  
“I do too!” Pyrrha pretended to be offended.  
“Mmmhmmm.” Arachanox rolled his eyes and crossed his four front legs, “Spiders are the kings of liars. Care to try again?”  
“Call it 25%.” Pyrrha shrugged.  
“Okay, that I’ll believe.” Arachanox nodded, “So how can I help you this lovely morning?”  
Pyrrha hummed as she thought it over, “Surprise me.”  
Arachanox stroked his chin before descending further into the library. Pyrrha looked over the edge as a book flew into her hands. The cover was steel, the pages acted like regular paper but upon closer examination she found out they were steel too!  
“There we go.” Arachanox returned to her eye level.  
“Ginnungagap?” Pyrrha read off the title, “Interesting, whats it about?”  
“It’s a fascinating tale!” Arachanox cleared his throat, “When Lucifer was cast out of Heaven, he wanted revenge, and found a barren land to start his army. Except it wasn’t barren at all, it was home to the First Men. Lucy had a bit of an inflated ego and thought he could conquer the land. But he underestimated the power and tenacity of the First Men and he paid for it in blood. When Lucifer died his fire flew into the sky and made the three suns, his steel flesh shot into the ground veining it with ore, his bones piled up and became the mountains, his blood flooded the world forming the oceans, his brain was shredded and scattered creating the black clouds, his death cry was so loud it echoes throughout the world to this very day. From the oceans of blood blossomed new life, the First Metalheads.”  
“Did you just spoil the whole book?” Pyrrha smirked.  
“No.” Arachanox shook his head, “Just the first chapter.”  
Pyrrha looked down at the tome and smiled, “Then I can’t wait to read the rest!”  
Arachanox waved as she left the library. The grand doors closed and sealed themselves back up. Pyrrha’s diary floated back down to her perfectly restored. She slipped it back in her pocket and finally left Stormhaven.  
On the bullhead back to Beacon Pyrrha felt something pinch her stomach. It was only for a moment, but it was enough to make her wonder what exactly happened just now? The moment she stepped off the plane a wave of nausea hit her like a ton of bricks. She hurried back to her dorm and carefully snuck in. Luckily Jaune and Nora were heavy sleepers, and she had enough finesse to sneak back into bed without Ren waking up. She checked the clock on the wall, she had enough time to take a small nap before breakfast.

* * *

She woke up with her head in an iron vice. She turned over and her stomach decided to do a backflip. She rolled out of bed and dragged herself to the bathroom. She started the shower hoping the steam would relieve her of the aches plaguing her. She stripped off her huntress outfit and jumped under the steaming water.  
She stepped out of the shower, wrapped up her hair, and dressed in her Beacon Uniform. The day was barely beginning, and she was already drained of energy. She didn’t bother tucking in her shirt, buttoning her vest or jacket, she was debating on not tying up her hair, but decided against it. She went to the cafeteria and saw her team sitting with RWBY. She sat down with her breakfast; the shower helped, but her head was still pounding as she greeted her friends with a smile.  
“Yo P-Money,” Yang used her fork to cut a piece off her stack of pancakes coated in amber goo, “You don’t look so good.”  
Pyrrha looked at her breakfast tray and pushed it away from her, “I don’t feel so good. I woke up this morning and my head wouldn’t stop pounding. Took a shower, it helped, not by much though…”  
“Allergies?” Ruby asked nibbling on a chocolate-chip cookie, “I think the cedar count is high today.”  
“Maybe,” Pyrrha groaned rubbing her temples.  
“Hey guys!” Velvet waved as she sat down with a Styrofoam bowl in her hands.  
“Hey Velv,” Yang greeted, “Whatcha got there?”  
“Oh I made it myself,” Velvet smiled as she removed the plastic lid, “Water, two and a half pounds of beef, six garlic cloves, one large white onion, one and half tablespoon of salt, one table spoon of ground pepper, one and half tablespoon of oregano, two table spoons of red pepper, five del arbol Chile peppers, six japones chile peppers, six cups of yellow hominy, half a red onion, a fourth of a cup of cilantro, and two limes!”  
“That’s one hell of a mouthful.” Yang chuckled.  
The warm broth through the bowl and the aroma unleashed made Velvet practically salivate. But it was too much for Pyrrha’s already uneasy stomach. She covered her mouth and tried to hold everything in, until she gagged for a moment, and took off toward the bathroom. Everybody was shocked at the development; they’d never seen their favorite champion act like that before. Velvet on the other hand looked downright ashamed and thought it was her fault.  
“It’s not your fault Velvet,” Blake quickly reassured her, “It’s probably just…” Blake trailed off and her eyes went wider than dinner plates. Velvet tilted her head waiting for Blake to finish her sentence. She was taken back when Blake shook the table when she took off after Pyrrha.  
She was right outside the bathroom when her superior hearing picked up the sound of vomiting. Blake entered, and the smell made her wish she had no senses whatsoever. Pyrrha was in the last stall, Blake was hoping in her haste she forgot to lock the door, but it didn’t budge.  
“Pyrrha?” She asked tapping two knuckles against the door.  
“Go,” Pyrrha gasped spitting up more, “Away Blake.”  
“Pyrrha I have to ask,” Blake leaned against the door, “How long has it been since you and Thane…”  
“First had sex?” Pyrrha finished for her as she opened the door and began to wash her mouth out in the sink, “It’s been a few days, what? You think I’m pregnant?”  
“It’s called: “Morning Sickness,” Blake pulled out her scroll to emphasize her point, “Aaaand, oh, would you look at the time?”  
“It’s only been a few days,” Pyrrha wiped her mouth with a paper towel from the automatic dispenser, “That’s incredibly fast don’t you think?”  
“You two also go at it like bunnies who just got released from prison.” Blake dramatically shrugged.  
Velvet sneezed.  
“Bless you.” Ruby wiped her mouth, “See? Allergies.”  
“Maybe he’s different,” Blake dramatically shrugged again, “He’s a Magical Spider-Dragon Warrior Prince after all…and the fact that I said that with a straight face…”  
Pyrrha was momentarily silenced, Blake moved out of her way in case she needed to run back into the stall, she shook her head, “Let’s go to the infirmary.”  
“Thank you,” Blake nodded and led her to the infirmary.  
“How may I help you today ladies?” the nurse asked spinning in her chair to face them.  
“Hi,” Pyrrha greeted sweetly as she leaned on the counter, “We were wondering if…”  
“Pregnancy test,” Blake bluntly stated causing Pyrrha to slam her head into the counter.  
“Your subtlety knows no bounds,” Pyrrha groaned.  
The nurse forced a smile and pulled a small box from the drawer in her desk. She pointed to the bathrooms behind the exam rooms. Pyrrha took the box and Blake followed close behind. Pyrrha unpacked the box and sat down. Blake crossed her arms and leaned against the corner of the room.  
“It’s a little awkward with you in the room,” Pyrrha shifted uncomfortably on the seat.  
“Want me to tell a joke?” Blake asked.  
“Why do you care so much?” Pyrrha rolled her eyes, “Anytime someone brings up or something has to do with babies you do this.”  
“Do what?” Blake couldn’t meet Pyrrha’s eyes.  
“Obsess,” Pyrrha shrugged, “You become obsessed until whatever brought it up vanishes or your team drags you away.”  
Blake chewed the inside of her cheek, had she really been so reckless? “I just really like babies. The fact that life is growing inside you is simply fascinating to me.”  
Pyrrha nodded, she looked back at her test, then slid it back into the box, “Well, then I hope you’re ready for a grueling nine months.”  
Blake covered her mouth with both hands, “Wait, what about Thane?”  
“What about Thane?” Pyrrha threw the test away, “I’m going to tell him of course! I think he’s still having breakfast with his family let’s go!”  
“Okay!” Blake nodded and they both ran out of the infirmary. The nurse recoiled as the door to the bathroom almost flew off its hinges. She pulled the box from the trash and saw the positive test. She went to the computer and began emailing the staff.

* * *

The Stormhearts were in the teacher's lounge sitting around a beautifully carved redwood table. The first thing she noticed was King Stormheart’s great axe: Mothers Mercy. One blade was almost as tall as her, even though it could fly to his hand like a fairy tale, it was never willingly out of arm’s reach. King Stanley and Queen Violet sat at the front of the table, Thane and Wilhelm sat on the King’s side, while Noelle, Kai, Hannah, and Bianca sat on the Queen’s side. Glynda Goodwitch sat next her lover Wilhelm. Port and Oobleck sat across from her, while Ozpin and Peach sat next to her.  
The table itself was stacked with so much food it was a miracle that it didn't collapse on itself. The breakfast aroma kept drawing her mind away from the reason she came. Pancakes thick as an inch stacked seven high, two freshly slaughtered oxen AND two boars, potatoes and eggs baked golden, slightly charred bacon, and a cask of fresh milk from Erza, the Goat with Sixteen Utters. She couldn’t help but giggle at Professor Port’s plate, with all the succulent meat in front of him he had a plate of fruit and a few pancakes.  
"I smell fish," Blake looked around the table until she found it, breaded tilapia with lemon herbs mixed in.  
"Thanks for the help, Blake," Pyrrha sighed rubbing her forehead. She walked over to Thane, who smiled warmly at her. She bent over and kissed him. The others waved at her.  
"Thane," Pyrrha whispered, "Can we talk?"  
"Of course," Thane nodded, "What did you need to say?"  
Pyrrha turned a shade of scarlet as she fiddled with the hem of her skirt. She didn't notice Blake join her with a plate in hand. Violet looked up from her plate and sniffed the air, she smiled as she set her fork down.  
"You're with child," Violet stared at Pyrrha, the very sentence made everybody stop. Impossibly, Pyrrha turned even redder, but she couldn't get the words out.  
"Pyrrha," Thane was uncharacteristically monotone, "Is this true?"  
Pyrrha frantically nodded, Thane stood up from his chair, grabbed her by the hips, and lifted her into the air.  
"I'm going to be a father!" he cheered pulling Pyrrha into his arms. Blake felt a pang of sadness as she watched the sight unfold, if Thane had red hair, he'd...no, Adam and Thane looked nothing a like. How could she even think that?  
Beacon's staff were confused to say the least. Surely, they were too young to even consider having children. They nearly jumped out of their skin when the other children began cheering. With one arm, Wilhelm lifted the cask off the table, and summoned a new one of polished black oak bound with golden rods. He poured a glass for everyone, minus Pyrrha, and raised it over his head.  
"To our first niece or nephew!" he roared, causing the others to cheer, "To the future ruler of the Metallands!"  
The Beacon staff had to cover their ears; these children were louder than an arena!  
“This is a time to celebrate.” Port began reaching for a sizzling steak as big as his head.  
Glynda pushed it away, “You know you’re supposed to be eating better.” She instead gave him one half its size, “But we are celebrating.  
Port smiled; he’ll take what he can get.  
Stanley slammed his fist on the table and rose, "To my first grandchild, and to you Pyrrha Stormheart. It's an honor to welcome you into this family."  
"But," Pyrrha admitted, "We're not married.”  
"But you want to be right?" Violet asked.  
Thane looked at Pyrrha and she looked at him with tears in her eyes, "I gave you the most precious thing I had, and you gave me a child in return. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather stand beside until the gods take us."  
Thane wiped away her tears and kissed her forehead, "I've read about your customs," he got down on one knee, "So, Pyrrha Nikos, will you marry me?"  
"Hey," Hannah hissed from across the table, "You need a ring, dumbass!"  
"Then make one!" Thane hissed back, "You can make a castle but not a ring?!"  
Hannah clicked her tongue and opened her book. She flipped through the pages of her tomb, “Nope. Guess you’re on your own.”  
“It’s okay Thane.” Pyrrha smiled, “We can worry about that later.”  
"Assemble the students," Stanley ordered as he grabbed his crown and began walking out the room, "We have an announcement to make."  
Ozpin looked at the other teachers for support, except they were staring at him hoping he would have the answer.

* * *

The students gathered as the announcement ended. Ruby, Weiss, and Yang looked at each other wondering what was going on. While Jaune and Ren were looking for their missing friends. Nora on the other hand was in her own little world as she dug into the bowl of Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes in her hand. Cinder was interested, Emerald followed Cinder's lead, while Mercury was struggling to stay awake. Emerald woke him up once the Stormhearts and the Beacon Staff stepped onto the stage.  
"As some of you well know," Stanley raised his voice to address the entire hall, "Pyrrha and my son have been seeing each other for some time now. Just this morning, my son asked for her hand in marriage, and she said yes!"  
The students were stunned, the first sound to break the silence was Nora's bowl shattering against the ground. She then jumped on her chair and cheered. Soon after was Cardin? Then the whole place was cheering. More so, Pyrrha stared at King Stanley in shock, she’d hoped to tell everyone in her own time, but now the whole school knew.  
"The wedding will be next Sunday!" Stanley raised his voice over the cheers, "Followed by a grand tournament to last ten days and nights!"  
The Stormhearts walked off the stage and returned to the teacher's lounge.  
"Now that the fun is over, time for the dramatic," Violet sat down and donned the face of the Queen of Metal, "Summon the Thaneguard."  
The children hadn't had a chance to sit down, they glanced at each other, then at their father, and finally back to their mother.  
"Will that even work?" Kai asked.  
"What are the Thaneguard?" Pyrrha tilted her head.  
"Oh!" Violet ran up and embraced her future daughter-in-law, "The Thaneguard is something I formed when he was a baby to protect him. He was my first baby, I wanted to be sure he'd be safe."  
"Once I was older," Thane jumped in, "I reformed the Thaneguard, to put down threats no one else could. A last resort sort of thing."  
"But they still serve the purpose I founded them for," Violet assured, "Which is to protect my son, and now you have a piece of him within you," she placed her hand on her belly, "And that means they'll come when I call them."  
"Let's find out," Hannah wasn't as sure as her mother was. She opened her spell book and began reading the incantations. Once the spell was complete, she closed her book, and waited.  
"Was that it?" Pyrrha asked.  
"I told you…" Hannah was cut off by a rumble. Lightning struck wildly, thunder deafened many, and the room was engulfed in smoke. Once it settled four golden armored knights were kneeling before them.

  
** _ We are the Old Heathen Lions  
Roaring under the bloodstained skies  
Beyond the thrones of Dragon and Metal  
Lie our ancestors, all dust and bone._ **

"Uther," Thane embraced the leader in a hug.  
"My Prince," the knight returned the hug, "What is our mission?"  
"Pyrrha," Thane introduced, "This is Lord Commander Uther, the Morning Star. He leads the Thaneguard. She’s Sir Arryngore, Crusader Against Tyrants. He’s Sir Xaxroar, Caller of the Pride. Finally, is Sir Barristan, the Triumphant Goldmane." Thane smiled as he took her hand, "Uther, this is Pyrrha Nikos, my bride-to-be."  
Uther knelt and removed his helmet. Pyrrha was more than a little shocked when she was saw his face. His body was the stature of a man, but his face was that of a lion. His mane was made up of several braids with golden beads tying them off, his coat was white as snow with ebony stripes, his left eye had three disfiguring scars effectively sealing it shut.  
"My Princess," Uther bowed his head.  
"You have been summoned to guard her," Thane explained.  
"Say no more," Uther rose, "It shall be done."  
"I have no doubts my friend," Thane smiled when the bell for classes rang, "Have fun in class my love," They kissed each other before she led the Thaneguard to her class.  
Lord Uther took point, Sir Arryngore to her left, Sir Barristan to her right, and Sir Xaxroar behind her. When she first saw them, she thought it was another romantic gesture until she started examining each one of them.  
All of their armors were well worn, battle scared, with signs of reforging and replacements. Lord Uther carried his warhammer, Sir Arryngore’s hands never left her swords’ hilts, Sir Barristan’s gauntlets were considerably thicker than the others, she couldn’t see Sir Xaxroar, but she could only assume he was just as armed and armored. She saw the Stormheart crest on Lord Uther’s cape with a golden shield with a black border behind it.  
She saw Velvet coming toward them, she wanted to apologize for this morning. Pyrrha smiled seeing a familiar face. Velvet stopped before Lord Uther, her ears fell the more she stared at the Lion. Velvet quickly turned around and left them behind.  
Two things were bubbling inside her stomach, the first being was she was a huntress-in-training. One of the top first years in Beacon’s history, did they really think so little of her to warrant the need for bodyguards? Then the second question came, there was no doubt these four could best any real huntsman she could think off, and they were bodyguards for her? Or for the future heir inside her?  
Sir Barristan opened the door to the classroom where and Lord Uther entered, then Sir Arryngore, then Pyrrha, finally Sir Xaxroar and Sir Barristan entered behind her. The room was stunned to say the least when four Lion-Knights entered the room. Blake removed her bow, held her arms at her side, and bowed to them.  
"Pyrrha?" She asked keeping her eyes Uther’s paws, "Are you alright?"  
"Yes," Pyrrha nodded, "These are the knights of the Thaneguard, ordered to protect me."  
"You know this kinsman?" Uther asked.  
"Yes," Pyrrha had to think about the correct wording to use, "She is my personal handmaiden. Right Blake?" She smiled and tilted her head forward urging Blake to play along.  
"Right," Blake said uneasily, "I'm to be by her side until she gives birth, and thereafter."  
"A wet nurse too?" Uther stared Blake down with his one eye.  
"No," Pyrrha sharply answered, "No one feeds my child but me."  
Blake was surprised to see such fierceness from Pyrrha. Uther on the other hand nodded and let Blake through. The two sat down and the Thaneguard surrounded them. Glynda was about to begin the lesson when Queen Violet entered.  
“Excuse me.” She told Glynda, “I need to borrow Pyrrha.”  
“I’m sorry but attendance is mandatory.” Glynda objected.  
The room suddenly turned dark, lights in the floors being the only source. The Thaneguard jumped to their feet, weapons at the ready.  
"Alert: Internal Triage," the synthetic voice of the adjutant echoed throughout the school, "Main power offline. Emergency backup power now online. All non-essential personnel and students please remain where you are. Security personnel please report to your staging areas and await further instructions. Please clear all hallways. All personnel remain in their staging areas unless instructed by security. Thank you for your patience and cooperation."  
"Well then, I guess class is canceled. Students," Glynda spoke up, "It would appear that the storm has knocked out power to the school. I am going to do my part to restore it.”  
Violet waved at Pyrrha, her and the Thaneguard departed.

* * *

_ **Ruby, Weiss, & Yang.** _

* * *

"WEISS!" Ruby chased after her, "Where are you going?"  
"Where else would I be going?" She scoffed, "I'm going back to the dorm."  
"Why?" Yang shrugged, "It's just a power outage."  
"Didn't you hear the adjutant?" Weiss asked, "We're supposed to clear the hallways until power is restored. Damn, I really wanted to go into Vale to look for a dress. I guess I could call Klein…"  
"Who's Klein?" Ruby tilted her head.  
"The family butler," Weiss smiled, "He practically raised Winter and I. Oh, I wonder if Winter is going."  
“Probably.” Yang put her arms behind her head, “Just a guess but I’m pretty sure word has reached Atlas by now.”  
"Why don't we go?" Ruby asked, "I mean the power's out, obviously the cameras are down. So, what's stopping us from just going into Vale and being back when the power's back on?"  
"Ruby Rose," Weiss scolded, "Are you suggesting we sneak out of school to go shopping?"  
Ruby shrugged and began walking toward the front door. Weiss was shocked, she wouldn't dare disobey the rules…but she really needed a dress…  
“My baby sis has finally entered her rebellious stage!” Yang cried Cinderella tears as she chased after her sister.  
"So, what do we do now?" Ruby stretched her arms over her head once they were in town.  
"It was your idea to sneak out Ruby!" Weiss scolded as she adjusted her disguise hat, "How could you not have a plan?"  
"I've never needed a dress before!" Ruby yelled back, "Being all prim and proper is your domain!"  
"UGH!" Weiss roared, "Fine, I know about this place in Midtown."  
"Isn't Midtown expensive?" Yang paled at the image of her purse shattering into millions of tiny pieces.  
"Did you forget who I am?" Weiss asked.  
Ruby and Yang perked up and followed close behind. Weiss found: "Charlie's Custom Tailors." Only their expectations almost shattered when they saw a crowd of people trying to bumrush the entrance. Only thing between them were four Lion-Knights. The Thaneguard roared and pushed back the reporters.  
“Lisa Lavender reporting live as we’ve just seen the Queen and the princess-to-be enter the most renowned tailor in Vale.” Lisa spoke into a tripod while the camera man was in the nearby van.  
“Whoa.” Ruby flinched at the echoing roar.  
“Yeesh…” Yang hissed as she watched the scene, “It hasn’t even been an hour and it’s already on the news?”  
“Yang fix my hair.” Weiss threw off her hat and turned her jacket inside-out revealing the Schnee logo on her back.  
“What? Why?” Yang watched Weiss frantically turn into the Heiress. Weiss reeled back with a snarl, “Okay, damn.” Yang pulled a collapsible brush from on of their pockets on her skirt.  
“You just carry that around in your pocket?” Weiss asked.  
“Uh-huh.” Ruby nodded, “Wait so what are we doing?”  
Weiss scoffed, “I’m going to draw the reporters away and you two sneak in.”  
“Through the armored cats.” Yang nodded, “Yeah…Great plan Weiss.”  
“You got a better one?” Weiss pulled out her credit card and handed it to Yang. “Wait!” She quickly snatched it back and gave it to Ruby.  
“Is that Weiss Schnee?” One reporter looked at them, “That’s Weiss Schnee!” The other reporters ran away from the Thaneguard. To Weiss.  
“Miss. Schnee!” One reporter cawed, “Miss. Schnee! Will the Royal Wedding have any effect on the Dust Embargo?”  
“Will your father and the other Atlesian Royalty be attending the Royal Wedding?”  
“How does your father feel about the Mistral Champion marrying into the Royal Family instead of you?”  
“Will you, your brother, or sister be next to be married into the Royal Family? Or will you be married to a Vacuo Lord?”  
Yang had had enough, “Go in without me.”  
“Yang wait!” But Ruby did not have the strength to stop her sister.  
“Back up!” Yang yelled when she saw them nearly force their microphones down her throat, “One at a time!” Yang reeled in her anger and stood beside Weiss. Weiss was momentarily stunned, she half expected Yang to start swinging.  
Ruby watched Weiss begin to answer questions with Yang stopping any reporter from invading her personal space. Ruby crouched down and used her semblance to propel herself into the air and land behind Lord Uther.  
“May I help you little one?” Sir Barristan stood before Ruby.  
“I am here to find a dress for the Royal Wedding.” Ruby poked her fingers together.  
Sir Barristan looked over Ruby and sniffed the air. She didn’t have a threatening aura about her, if anything she seemed more scared of him, “Well your friend drew the crowd away, I suppose we could let you in.” Sir Barristan opened the door for Ruby, but followed her in.  
Ruby began looking at the dresses with shaky hands as the tailor comes up to her.  
He clicked his tongue as she looked Ruby up and down, “I’m sorry. We don’t sell skinny jeans at this location.”  
Sir Barristan growled at the tailor’s condescending tone.  
“Ruby?” Pyrrha came out of the dressing room.  
“Hey Pyrrha.” Ruby shuffled toward her.  
“Oh, Sir Barristan leave her be.” Violet chuckled, “You’re scaring the poor girl.”  
“Forgive me My Queen.” Sir Barristan bowed his head.  
“Are you okay dear?” Violet asked.  
Ruby stared into Violet’s eyes with her jaw on the floor and tongue hanging out of her mouth. She nodded dumbly while babbling something incoherent. An army of tailors came up to Violet and Pyrrha each holding a roll of fabric with the same slack-jawed look on their faces.  
“Back to business.” Violet pipped up, “I hope you find a nice dress dear.”  
“Bye Ruby…” Pyrrha waved as she was dragged away.  
“You know the Queen and the Princess-to-be?” The tailor asked, “Well that’s another story. Do you know your inseam?”  
“Medium?” Ruby shrugged rolling her tongue back into her mouth.  
The tailor deeply sighed not even trying to hide his dissatisfaction, “Oh. Why don’t you browse for a while? These here are our most exclusive and we move down in price as you head toward the door.”  
A different tailor practically shoved a glass of champagne into Ruby’s hand as she got down on one knee with measuring tape.  
“Large?” Ruby squirmed.  
The tailor chuckled as she rose to her feet, “That’s not how this works.”  
“Ugh finally.” Yang walked up to Ruby, “Those reporters were brutal. I know some bouncers that could learn a thing or two from them.”  
“Rene.” Weiss sweetly greeted.  
“Miss. Schnee, oh, how do you do?” Weiss and Rene kissed each other’s cheeks as the female tailor gave her a glass of champagne and one to Yang.  
“Wonderful Rene, we’re here for some dresses for the Royal Wedding.” Weiss said.  
“Wonderful!” Rene clapped, “I’ll fetch my book!”  
“Wait if this is: “Charlie’s Custom Tailors.” Yang remembered the sign, “Why are you being seen by Rene?”  
“If it wasn’t obvious.” Rene returned almost immediately, “Charlie is working with the Queen herself.”  
“You have my measurements right Rene?” Weiss asked.  
“Of course, Miss. Schnee.” Rene nodded.  
“While you measure my friends, I will go find the Queen.” Weiss began toward the back of the shop.  
Weiss found Pyrrha standing on a block while Charlie was measuring her. The three other tailors were cutting samples of fabric. Violet looked over the various fabrics and gracefully caressed the materials. Sir Barristan kept his eyes trained on Charlie as he measured Pyrrha. Violet twirled a clear glass orb in her hand, then a fog of purple smoke filled the orb.  
“Wilhelm?” Violet spoke to the orb.  
“Yes mother?” The orb turned purple and blinked.  
“How are Stormhaven’s preparations coming along?” Violet began pacing.  
“As expected,” Wilhelm answered, “The Servants and I will have the castle ready before the wedding.”  
“And your brother?” Violet asked.  
“He knows the rules.” Willem responded, “He’s bound to the grounds until the day of the wedding.”  
“What?” Pyrrha looked up at Violet.  
“Distance makes the heart grow fonder darling.” Violet smiled as she held up a piece of fabric toward Pyrrha, “Thane is bound to Stormhaven’s grounds while you are bound to Beacon’s until the wedding day.” She tosses the sample back into the pile, “No flowers. Find something else.”  
“Yes, my queen.” The tailors bowed and quickly removed the fabrics they gathered from her sight.  
“Pyrrha?” Weiss took her hand, “Are you okay?”  
Pyrrha chewed the inside of her cheek as she looked at Lord Uther outside and Sir Barristan inside, “I’m okay Weiss.” She smiled, but Weiss knew a false face when she saw one.  
Weiss squeezed her hand briefly, “If you need any help, I’ll be there.”  
Pyrrha returned the squeeze, “Thank you Weiss.”

* * *

** _That Evening_ **

* * *

Pyrrha returned to her dorm and went to the bathroom with a slam. She unceremoniously threw her clothes into the corner and started the shower. The day had started out being the happiest day she’d ever had in her entire life, now it had devolved into the worst nightmare she could possibly imagine.  
Everything she’d hoped to escape from in Mistral was now coming back to her with a vengeance. Now she was bound to Beacon, forbidden to even see her fiancé until the wedding!  
Maybe this was a bad idea…the thought left her as quickly as it came when the ice water hit her back. She’d been in the shower longer than anticipated. She dragged herself to the sink and began brushing her teeth.  
“She’s going to marry the prince?” A voice disrupted her teeth brushing.  
Pyrrha heard something close to a dog whine.  
“You don’t think it’s one of them?” A woman’s voice asked.  
Pyrrha used her semblance to silently unscrew the towel rack, she twisted it until it broke in half leaving two twisted points. She heard the wolf whine again.  
“Hunter is right.” A different man spoke, “We were told it was a woman carrying the heir.”  
Pyrrha cracked open the door and saw a skeleton in pharaoh-like armor leaning toward Nora. She peeked her head out and saw a woman with deathly pale skin in blood red armor. She couldn’t get a good look, but she saw a man in a kimono similar to Ren’s. Each of her teammates had purple glyphs around their heads with spinning runes orbiting them.  
She closed the door then her eyes, took a deep breath, then kicked the door and sent it flying into the woman. She ran out of the room throwing one of the sharpened ends at the skeleton’s skull. She tackled the kimono and held the other to his neck. She looked up when she heard growling a saw a three-headed wolf snarling at her.  
“Hunter?” Pyrrha asked. Then she heard laughter? It was a dark, haunting laugh that sent a chill up her spine.  
“You make more sense!” The skeleton rose and stared into her eyes, more particularly the white tint in the borders of her irises, “Oh yes, you are definitely the one.”  
“Who are you?” Pyrrha demanded, “What did you do to my teammates?”  
“A harmless sleeping spell princess.” The skeleton pulled the towel end out of his skull, “My name is Lek’Dazuht, Archlich of Samarxxan, Lichlord of the Plaguelands, Commander of the Dread Necropolis, Master and Founder of The Cult of the Damned, formerly of the Council of Six, Creator of the Abomination, Summoner of Ednomihcra the Defiler, The Betrayer Of Humanity, and Majordomo to Nenvaa, the Curator of Death herself.”  
“Was all of that really necessary?” Pyrrha asked.  
“Titles are important princess.” Lek’Dazuht crossed his arms.  
“Those titles may be just words to you.” The woman pushed the door off of her, “But if anybody from our land heard those words, they’d kill themselves rather than face Lek’Dazuht.”  
“Okay.” That did not calm Pyrrha down in the slightest, “Who are you? In simple terms.”  
“We are a wedding gift from Prince Wilhelm.” Lek’Dazuht explained, “While Lord Uther and his ilk are formidable warriors and protect you during the day, they are only mortal after all, and need their sleep. We, however, are creatures of the night. We shall guard you until the sun rises, Lord Uther shall return then.”  
Another nerve was pinched in the back of Pyrrha’s mind. Now she was going to be watched while she slept?  
“Are you part of the Thaneguard?” She asked.  
“Yes and No.” Lek’Dazuht shrugged, “We are The Darkguard, formed by Prince Wilhelm consisting of myself the Archlich, Bloodfang the Vampire, Chino the Werewolf, and his companion Hunter. Prince Wilhelm told us to protect you with our lives, so, if you wanna get technical, we did technically join the Thaneguard.”  
Pyrrha did not respond, just when she thought the day was done beating the spirit out of her, more came in at the last minute. She crawled into bed done for the day. Lek’Dazuht looked at the Darkguard and shrugged. He phased through the wall and levitated in front of the window. Bloodfang and Chino stepped outside and stood by the door. Hunter curled into a ball right next to her bed. She pulled the pillow close and screamed until she passed out.

* * *

Pyrrha woke up floating in the void, she couldn’t see but she could feel a strange warmth in the distance. She began floating toward the warmth until she saw an orange glow in the distance. The closer she floated toward it; a growing sense of dread was building inside her. Until she was overwhelmed by a tsunami of a singular emotion: pain…  
She stopped right above the orange glow that’s when she saw a type of grimm she’d only read about. They were called the Apathy, a humanoid-like grimm with the ability to drain the will of any they come across. They were hammering a giant plate of white-hot metal. The piece they were working on was lifted into the air and the apathy rolled off. The piece was attached a dragon’s back and stretched and molded to its skin.  
The Apathy’s screams did nothing as the dragon roared and thrashed in pain. There were more Apathy hammering more metal onto the dragon’s hide. It shifted and threw off all that were on it. A massive beam came barreling down and slammed a bolt into its chest. Another from a different angle slammed a bolt into its back. The dragon lifted its head and slammed it into the wall. Ten more battering rams were lined up in a row and they all simultaneously beat armor into the dragon’s flesh.  
Until it finally raised its arm from the dark pool it was submerged in and knocked the rams down. Pyrrha gasped at the limb, it wasn’t even flesh anymore, the entire thing from shoulder to fingertip was mechanical. There was a sickening cracking as it attempted to spread its wings. It lifted it head out of the pool and seemed to stare directly at Pyrrha. She first glanced at its metal jaw then met its eyes…green.  
The dragon forced its wings to spread and erupted out of the underground prison in a mixture of fire, grimm essence, and lightning. Pyrrha followed through the explosion and watched its tattered wings spread and carry it higher.  
Pyrrha and the dragon looked around at the blasted domain they were in. The landscape was littered with broken mountains, the sky was stained purple, and crystals with various shapes and sizes jutted out of the ground. The dragon scoffed at this barren wasteland and flew into the horizon.  
The hideous mixture of fire, lightning, and grimm essence followed wherever the dragon flew. It flew over Menagerie and a tsunami followed consuming the island. It flew over Mistral and the earth itself opened consuming the entire city. It flew over Atlas and the metropolis fell right out of the sky. It landed on a derelict castle with Beacon Tower in the distance. A horrific shout left its mouth and the skies themselves began to weep fire and Pyrrha was thrusted from her dream.  
Pyrrha sat up with a gasp alerting Hunter on the floor. She wiped her sweat-drenched brow and looked down. Her sheets were soaked through. She quietly began to change them, when she noticed the glyphs still circling her teammates’ heads. She knocked over a lamp and they didn’t even flinch. She changed her sheet not worrying about waking them and laid back down. She looked down at Hunter and motioned for him to join her. Maybe with him in bed she’d sleep peacefully. He snuggled close and curled into a ball at her feet.

* * *

The next morning came in an instant, she looked at her feet and saw Hunter absent. She stretched with several audible pops through her back. The morning sickness was almost absent, when she left her room, she was greeted with Lord Uther’s cape.  
“Time to break fast?” Sir Barristan asked.  
Pyrrha nodded with a crooked smile, “Yes.”  
The Thaneguard - or Lightguard she didn’t know anymore – began to escort her to the cafeteria. They stopped when Weiss and her family stepped in front of them.  
“Pyrrha, I need to talk to you.” Weiss crossed her arms. Pyrrha raised her head to speak, “Now please.” Pyrrha blinked at her forcefulness, she knew Weiss could be bossy, this time however felt different. She turned back to her family, “Wait for me in the cafeteria.”  
“Of course.” Winter, the older sister nodded. Her brother Whitley and father Jaques went on without her.  
Weiss opened the door to her dorm and motioned for Pyrrha to enter. When Sir Arryngore stepped forward, Weiss raised her hand to object, but Pyrrha had found her voice finally.  
“Can I please have one moment alone with my friend?!” Pyrrha yelled.  
Sir Arryngore didn’t budge until Lord Uther grabbed her arm, “We’ll be just outside.”  
Pyrrha nodded and Weiss stepped in. Weiss closed the door and Pyrrha stared out the window at Stormhaven.  
“Tea?” Weiss asked, “I read that caffeine was bad for babies, so I borrowed Blake’s tea-set.”  
“Thank you.” Pyrrha’s shaky hands almost spilled her tea the moment she took it.  
“Are you okay?” Weiss asked pouring herself a cup.  
“This is too much.” Pyrrha whispered setting down the cup, “This is all too much!” Weiss sat on her bed, crossed her legs, and motioned for her to continue, “I guess I forgot…”  
“You forgot he was a prince?” Weiss finished for her.  
Pyrrha nodded, “He’s a prince and I’m carrying the future king.” Her hands cradled her belly.  
Weiss nearly choked on her tea, after her coughing fit with a cherry red face she screamed, “What?!”  
“Oh Gods…” Pyrrha’s hands flew over her mouth, she raised her hands over her eyes hoping it would erase her from existence. She peeked between her fingers and saw Weiss still staring at her plain-as-day.  
“You’re pregnant?” Weiss gaped.  
“I’m pregnant.” Pyrrha nodded unable to hide it now, “And truth be told I’m freaking out! It’s just now hitting me how dangerous this whole thing is. How dangerous my fiancé and his family are! H-How dangerous the future king inside me might be!” Pyrrha’s brain actually registered what she had just said, “I have a king inside me! Oh gods…” she buried her face in her hands again, “The look on Thane’s face when I told him, was the happiest day of my life…”  
“What did he say?” Weiss curiously asked.  
Pyrrha smiled, “He cheered, lifted me into the air, pulled me into his arms…I’ve been dreaming about this day since I was little, and never did it involve bodyguards, my fiancé forbidden from seeing me, nor the entire world knowing…”  
Weiss nodded then opened her eyes with a growl, “What do you mean forbidden from seeing him?”  
“I didn’t even get to tell my mother…” Pyrrha’s face fell, “She didn’t even hear it from me. She saw it on the news her daughter was getting married…”  
“Why is Thane forbidden from seeing you?” Weiss repeated.  
“Distance makes the heart grow fonder.” Or so his mother says.” Pyrrha scoffed, “Maybe this whole thing was a huge mistake. Maybe…maybe we shouldn’t get married.”  
Weiss frowned deeply. She shot up and went toward the door.  
“Weiss?” Pyrrha watched her.  
Weiss threw open the door and walked right up to Lord Uther. As Weiss spoke to Lord Uther. Lord Uther looked at the rest of the Thaneguard. The other three knights looked at Pyrrha then at Lord Uther and nodded. Lord Uther began walking away.  
“Well come on then.” He called back at Weiss.  
As Pyrrha watched them leave, Blake entered the room.  
“I’m assuming you heard all of that?” Pyrrha sighed.  
“I did.” Blake nodded, “Are you okay?”  
Pyrrha shook her head, “This whole thing was a bad idea.”  
“Is that my tea set?” Blake asked taking a sniff, “Jasmine. Normally I’d recommend it, but it’s bad for the pregnancy.” She emptied the tea pot out the window. “You need Ginger and Mint. Helps with the morning sickness.”  
“How could you possibly know that?” Pyrrha asked.  
Blake’s hands began shaking as she put down the pot and went to the cabinet for more tea, “I’m your handmaiden remember? I did some research.”  
“For an ex-terrorist you’re a bad liar.” Pyrrha stared at the back of Blake’s head.  
“I am an excellent liar.” Blake objected.  
“You knew I was pregnant before we even got the test.” Pyrrha listed, “Now you have the cure for morning sickness? The truth Blake.”  
Blake sighed as the new tea began brewing. She sat on Weiss’ bed across from Pyrrha. Blake stared out the window and Pyrrha kept her eyes on her.  
“It feels like a lifetime ago.” Blake began, “You know about me and Adam, right?”  
“I remember the two of you crying over Tyrande.” Pyrrha thought back to the spell.  
A blue dragon was summoned from Hannah’s spell book, and it phased through Adam’s chest before exploding and taking the form of the Belladonna mansion. Adam kicked down the door to Blake’s room and saw her cradling a baby in her arms with two tiny numbs on her forehead. Adam dropped his weapons and approached them. When he held her in his arms, Tyrande turned to dust.  
“Tyrande was our daughter.” Blake admitted, “We were celebrating one night…” Blake blushed, “Two weeks later I found out, nine months later we had little Tyrande.”  
“What happened to Tyrande?” Pyrrha asked.  
“S-She…” Blake struggled to get the words out, “She died…” Blake was barely able to whisper the words. “It was the straw that broke the camel’s back between me and Adam. Failure to communicate.”  
“Failure to communicate?” Pyrrha asked.  
“When…” Blake gulped down her tears, “It happened. I shut my self off. I slept in Tyrande’s room surrounded by her toys, I could smell her sent on her clothes, I could hear her laughing, I can see her eating pancakes…”  
“What about Adam?” Pyrrha asked.  
“He got angry.” Blake answered.  
“Did he ever?” Pyrrha gasped.  
“No.” Blake answered, “At least not to me. His training regiments with new recruits were harder. Soldiers began dying during our raids, normally we’d knock them out or tie them up in the corner, now they were dying. Not just dying, executed, cut in half, massacred…”  
“How exactly was this a failure to communicate?” Pyrrha nervously asked.  
“I needed him, and he wasn’t there for me.” Blake said, “BUT, there’s a but here too. He needed me, and I wasn’t there for him. Whatever was left of what we had shattered. Don’t let what happened to us happen to you. Tell Thane what you’re feeling, not just us.”  
Pyrrha nodded and wrapped her arms around Blake. She went stiff as a board.  
“Still not used to hugs huh?” Pyrrha laughed for the first time that morning.  
“Not really.” Blake returned the hug, “I have to use my semblance to escape Ruby and Yang’s.”

* * *

Weiss quickly ran after Lord Uther, she pulled out her scroll and texted Winter. Winter’s reply was a simple thumbs up. Weiss always smiled, one the most renowned specialists in the Atlisian Military, sends emojis to her little sister. Weiss almost burst out laughing at the fantasy of Winter taking a selfie in front of a paladin.  
The carriage system set up between Beacon and Stormhaven was still something that made her laugh. She would think back to the carriage rides she got when she was a child, the memories she looked back on distracted her from the lion sitting across from her looking ready to pounce at a moment’s notice.  
When they finally passed the King’s Gate the familiar sound of the Faunus market flooded her ears. She could still the see Blake’s jaw drop at the sight, human and Faunus working together in harmony, but that’s what happens when a giant tells you to band together against the common enemy or you’ll die. Once she entered the main keep, a different sound flooded her ears, the servants were practically crawling over themselves converting the throne room into an altar.  
“So, where is he?” Weiss asked.  
“He is bound to the grounds.” Lord Uther said, “He could be anywhere in Stormhaven.”  
“Don’t you have a…I don’t know a tracking spell or something?” Weiss asked.  
“You don’t understand how magic works do you?” Lord Uther asked, “He’s over there.” Lord Uther pointed at the throne where Thane, Noelle, Wilhelm, and a handful of servants were standing.  
“Thane.” Weiss approached them, “We need to talk.”  
“I’m sorry Weiss, but I’m incredibly busy at the moment, I don’t have the time.” Thane waved her off as he took a piece of parchment from Noelle.  
“It’s about Pyrrha.” Weiss crossed her arms, “Make the time.”  
“Get out.” Thane turned to Noelle.  
“Brother what are you doing?” Noelle asked with an edge.  
There was a crack of lightning and Thane’s eyes turned pure white. The servant’s left the room without a second thought. Noelle’s emerald irises brightened significantly, while Wilhelm glanced between his siblings.  
“I said leave.” Thane glared at his sister.  
Noelle lugged Storm Herald over her shoulder as her eyes turned green, “Or what?”  
Two white horns began to grow out of the back of Thane’s head. Noelle’s response was a series of little horns growing at the tip of each eyebrow and down the center of her forehead.  
“That’s enough of that now.” Wilhelm stepped between them, “Come along sweet sister, I think the twins need help fitting into their dresses.” Wilhelm flashed a crooked, yellow-stained smile at Thane as he escorted Noelle away.  
Once he heard the doors close, Thane immediately turned to Weiss, “Did something happen? Is she alright?”  
“She’s fine.” Weiss stopped him before he had a stroke, “She needs to see you.” Thane opened his mouth, but Weiss quickly put her finger over his lips. She took a deep breath and continued, “Did you know that Pyrrha is considered royalty in Mistral?”  
“I did.” Thane nodded.  
“Did you know she hated it?” Weiss raised an eyebrow.  
“She never liked talking about it.” Thane answered.  
“Understandable.” Weiss nodded, “She came to Vale to get away from the alienation and objectification of being royalty. She’d never been happier than when you asked her to marry you, and that she’s carrying your child. But can’t you see that everything that’s happening is overwhelming her? Everything she’s been trying to run away from is coming back with a vengeance, and with this tradition of yours she’s facing it alone.”  
“She’s not alone!” Thane’s eyes returned to normal and his horns retreated back into his skull.  
“Then why are you here and not with her?” Weiss crossed her arms.  
“Because distance makes the heart grow fonder.” Thane mechanically repeated. Weiss stared at him, “It’s tradition. When a couple announces their marriage, they are then separated until the wedding day. My parents did it, Noelle and Mariana did it, I am no different. Because distance makes the heart grow fonder.”  
“Well right now her heart is breaking. If you really love her like you say you love her, then you’d go be with her, and your baby.” Weiss turned on her heel and began walking away.  
She’d made her point; she didn’t want to hear his answer. Actions speak louder than words, and right now his were deafening. She met up with Lord Uther at the carriage and the two began back to Beacon.  
When she returned, it was just about time for Professor Port’s class. She saw Pyrrha with the Thaneguard surrounding her. Weiss clenched her fists until she saw a familiar chrome spider descend from the ceiling. It landed on the desk next to Sir Arryngore, she felt the same way most of the class did, and when she yawned the spider dashed across her desk, dropped a folded piece of parchment in front of Pyrrha, and just as quickly it came it made its escape. Pyrrha unfolded the note:  
Pyrrha my love,  
The distance between us is breaking my spirit.  
I need to see you again, to hold you in my arms, to hear your heavenly voice.  
When the castle sleeps tonight I will be where no eyes dare to look.  
Pyrrha quickly folded the note and hid it away from the Thaneguard. When class ended, Pyrrha exited the room with a smile that made the sun dim.  
“Pyrrha!” Weiss called out to her when she was being escorted out of class.  
“Weiss!” She turned around and Weiss couldn’t help but smile at the face she hadn’t seen in forever, “I need you to come by later tonight.”  
Weiss tilted her head then nodded, “Of course.”  
Pyrrha opened her arms to embrace her, “The Thaneguard switches to the Darkguard as soon as the Moons rise.” She whispered, “I’ll make my move then.”  
Weiss nodded, she returned to her dorm and played sick for the rest of the day. Every hour she would take a peek outside the door to see if they were returning. Her team returned first, without a care in the world Yang swung the door open knocking Weiss flat on her butt in the middle of the room.  
“Weiss?” Ruby asked watching her rub the bump on her forehead.  
“Watch what you’re doing you brutish barbarian!” Weiss rose with a huff.  
“Why were you in the doorway to begin with?” Yang rolled her eyes at Weiss’ usual attitude.  
“I was waiting for Pyrrha.” Weiss pushed past Yang and saw the same thing she’d been staring at for hours, Team JNPR’s closed door, “The second the moons rise is her only opportunity to get away from those lion guards.”  
“So, what’s the plan?” Yang joined her in the doorway.  
“The plan is we wait for them to leave and join Pyrrha as she escapes.” Weiss deadpanned.  
“What kind of plan is that?” Yang objected, “How about I just…” Yang undid a few buttons in her uniform’s blouse, “Charm them away? Or I just punch one of them in the face and run like hell?”  
“Yang.” Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose, “Those are knights meant to protect the queen. You’d be dead in a matter of seconds.”  
Yang crossed her arms in a huff.  
“What if I used my semblance to grab Pyrrha and super-speed her away?” Ruby asked.  
“That…” Weiss thought it over, “Maybe. IF you’re fast enough.”  
Yang scoffed, “Do you know who you’re talking to?”  
Ruby puffed her chest out.  
“We’re doomed.” Weiss sighed.  
Ruby fell on the ground defeated.  
Pyrrha and Nora entered their room, the Thaneguard respectfully waited outside the room. It was the longest sunset of their entire lives. Once darkness fell, the Thaneguard turned to met Lek’Dazuht when an explosion knocked down the Darkguard. Nora jumped on the debris, waved at the Thaneguard and took off.  
“Nora!” Jaune called out for her jumping on the debris and the Darkguard under it, “Calm down before Professor Goodwitch gets really mad!”  
“Ruby now!” Weiss pushed her forward as Pyrrha was sneaking out of the doorway while the guards were distracted.  
“Hey Pyrrha!” Ruby took her hand and in a flash of rose pedals they were gone. Ruby stopped when she reached the cafeteria, “Okay! What’stheplan?!HowarewegettingyoutoThanebeforewe’recaught?!”  
“He told me he’d be in the place where they won’t dare to look.” Pyrrha unfolded the note.  
“Scandalous.” Ruby gasped still running off the high of her semblance, “Where no one dares to look? What could it mean?”  
“I think I know…” Pyrrha blushed, “I don’t think you should come along…”  
“Why not?” Ruby tilted her head.  
“It’s not really…” Pyrrha struggled to find the words.  
“A place for kids?” Ruby crossed her arms with a glare, “Well too bad Pyrrha, I’m a huntress-in-training too, and I’m going with you!” Ruby began, then she stopped, “Where are we going?”  
Pyrrha slumped and began to lead Ruby out of Beacon. There was only one place Thane could go where no one would dare to look…  
“Temple of Sin?” Ruby stared up at the neon sign, “A bit on-the-nose isn’t it?”  
“Wilhelm’s not the type to do things lightly.” Pyrrha stepped into building.  
“What is this place?” Ruby asked following Pyrrha.  
“If you don’t know what this place is then you have no business being here.” A buxom blonde that gave Yang a run for her money stepped out, “Oh princess. Come right in. My name is Trish and to answer your question little one.” She opened a pair of doors revealing several women in various stages of nudity, “We cater to multiple versions of every perversion, with women of every kind. Or for two gold pieces more you can have a dead whore, we specialize in the strange. There’s a woman from across the Blood Seas with a prosthetic eye, if want she’ll gladly remove it if you tire of her thighs. There’s a double amputee who works wonders with her feet.”  
“Where’s Wilhelm?” Pyrrha asked.  
Trish stopped dead in her tracks, “He’s in the basement. Through those doors.”  
“Thank you.” Pyrrha quickly took Ruby with her.  
“You always see places like this in movies.” Ruby followed with a blush, “I never thought I’d see one in real life.”  
“There are more in Mistral and Vacuo.” Pyrrha nonchalantly commented.  
“How do you know?” Ruby asked.  
“The laws over there aren’t strictly reinforced.” Pyrrha sighed, “Some were just brazenly out in the open.”  
“Oh…” Ruby continued to follow.  
The two reached a pair of doors, when Pyrrha touched it, the door felt unusually warm. Almost as if the doors themselves were alive…  
The doors opened and the proceeding hallways were flesh scraped raw. A wet, glistening, infected pink. Perspiration and other fluids – fowler and more intimate – leaked from the ever-pulsating flesh. Each corridor flexed and trembled an orifice trying to clamp itself shut if not held open by rusted hooks and aged boiled leather. Every step was treacherously slick, and each step released a foul stench of old sweat. The breeze carried the moans of ecstasy, agony, and some unholy combination of the two directly into their ears.  
“Pyrrha…” Ruby covered her mouth trying not to gag, “Can we go back? I think I prefer the prostitutes…”  
“Thane is here.” Pyrrha acclimated to the sight, smells, and sounds, “I have to find him.”  
Ruby whined but took Pyrrha’s hand as they continued further into the living basement.  
The light didn’t flicker like normal flames, instead it pulsated unnaturally as if matching their heartbeats. The sickly yellow light was painful to view, it was somehow hot and sticky on the skin. When they looked directly at the flames, Pyrrha and Ruby began to sweat profusely, as if the flames were diseased. They probably were. Lining the halls were the source of this foul flame.  
Thick ugly candles, some shorter, some taller, and with the aid of melted wax some the same height as the pair. Wanting to take her mind off everything, Ruby examined the candles. Upon her examination she found the beings encased within them. Most were demonic, some angelic, some animals, and some were grimm. The grimm seemed to be a recent addition to the collection. That’s when Ruby made the horrid realization, the captives had been fused with the wax itself. Their flesh, body, and soul were providing fuel for the flames above! The pulsating flames came from the still beating hearts of the captives inside the deranged candles.  
“I wanna go home!” Ruby wrapped her arms around Pyrrha like a security blanket.  
“Do you deal with intruders differently here?” a voice called out to them.  
Looking up at the far end of the hallway sanity finally seemed to regain some semblance of a hold. They pushed past the purple curtains and saw a raised throne made up of ground bones rested against the fleshy walls. The fluid oozing out of its cracks ruined any effect it had, or maybe it added to it?  
“We don’t turn them into candles if that’s what you mean!” Ruby yelled at Wilhelm sitting open robed on his throne.  
“Well you’re no fun, are you?” Wilhelm flashed his crooked toothy smile as he rested his cheek on his hand.  
Pyrrha stepped forward and heard a yelp. She looked down, and immediately wished she hadn’t. at the bottom of the throne was a mass of stark women. They clung together by locks of hair and perspiration. So tightly pressed together they moved as a single mass. They squirmed, thrashed, moaned, gasped as every so often Wilhelm would reach down and grope their exposed flesh. Ruby couldn’t stomach it anymore, and she began to puke in the corner.  
“Can we please speak somewhere less repulsive?” Pyrrha yelled stroking Ruby’s back.  
The mass of women cried out as Wilhelm stepped over them, “First of all you came into my house.”  
“I am here to see Thane.” Pyrrha glared, “Where is he?”  
“How do you know he’s here?” Wilhelm asked, “In this Den of Vice? This House of Assignation? This Cathouse? This Bawdy House?”  
“Are you done?” Pyrrha didn’t let up on her glare.  
“Whore House.” Wilhelm smiled, “Okay, now I’m done. You’ve come to the wrong place, he’s on the roof. Not the basement.”  
“Thank you.” She turned back to Ruby, “Are you okay.”  
“Cleaning toilets in detention doesn’t sound so bad now…” Ruby groaned.  
“Hey!” Wilhelm gawked.  
“Oh, shut up!” Pyrrha helped Ruby to her feet.  
“Already acting like my sister?” Wilhelm smirked, “Pyrrha, my brother is a good man. I’ll admit with a certain degree of bias that my brother isn’t the sharpest sword in the armory, but he does love you, and would do anything for you. He would never intentionally harm you.”  
Ruby and Pyrrha walked out as fast as their stiff legs could carry them. Every curse in every language Pyrrha knew was hovering behind her lips. But she dare not utter them in front of Ruby nor her soon to be brother. Throughout their march back they didn’t spot a single room nor hallway, they figured they exited. Presumably they’d open whenever a fresh orifice was needed or depending on whatever perversion was going through Wilhelm’s depraved mind. They continued to step in fluid, Ruby had a spaz attack when some dripped down on her from the ceiling. She began to run, but unfortunately stepped on a more sensitive part of the floor and sank to her knee. Pyrrha pulled her free and they heard a moan deeper in the basement. Pyrrha cradled Ruby and ran the rest of the way out.  
“Find what you were looking for?” Trish asked as the doors closed themselves behind them.  
With a squelch in each step, Ruby marched right up to Trish, “Fuck you!”  
“50 gold pieces and protection.” Trish answered.  
Ruby’s face turned pink with anger, she raised her hand to slap Trish, but she took a deep breath and exhaled, “Where are the stairs to the roof?”  
Trish pointed to the back, and Ruby used her semblance to propel her to them.  
“What’s her problem?” Wilhelm asked closing his robe with the silk belt, “She knows she’s got one between her legs, right? Or does she? I can’t tell the boys from the girls some nights…”  
Pyrrha turned around and slapped Wilhelm so hard the echo rang through the brothel. Before he could respond she turned and took off to catch up with Ruby.  
“My Prince.” Trish stepped forward, “That was uncalled for…”  
“I don’t recall asking for your opinion.” Wilhelm scoffed.  
Pyrrha ran up the stairs and nearly the blew the door of its hinges. Ruby stayed in the stairwell watching, she didn’t notice Wilhelm join her. She frantically searched the moonlit rooftop but found nothing. She saw Beacon tower in the distance and sighed. A pair of hands wrapped around her eyes and immediately she turned around and jabbed whoever it was in the throat, kicked his groin, and kneed his chin. She heard laughter, then she saw who exactly it was she just laid out.  
“Oh my god Thane!” Pyrrha gasped.  
“Good to see you too.” Thane laughed as he stood up.  
Pyrrha flew into his arms and nuzzled his neck, “I missed you.”  
“I missed you too.” Thane embraced her.  
“I…” Pyrrha began, “I…I don’t think…”  
“I don’t care.” Thane said.  
“What?” Pyrrha pulled back to look into his eyes.  
“I don’t care about this whole giant ceremony.” Thane shook his head, “The only thing I care about is marrying you. You are the only one that matters to me. You…” his hand drifted lower and rubbed her belly, “And the life we created. We could run far away from here, carve out our own little kingdom, whatever we do as long as you’re by my side.”  
“Really?” Pyrrha smiled.  
Thane waved to the shadows and outstepped a woman with square glasses, emerald green eyes, and shoulder length scarlet hair.  
“Mom?” Pyrrha gasped.  
“Hello darling.” Golga smiled.  
“What is this?” Pyrrha asked Thane.  
“I never properly got your mother’s blessing before asking you to marry me.” Thane blushed, “She gave me quite the thrashing too.” Pyrrha looked at her mother who just shrugged, “She also gave me this.” Thane pulled a tiny box from his pocket, he opened it revealing a golden diamond ring, and a a smooth chrome band in front of it.  
“That’s!” Pyrrha gasped.  
“The ring your father gave me.” Golga nodded, “I told him you were just like your mother and no ordinary jewelry would do it. So, I gave him mine. I just wish he could see be here to see this.”  
“The band is made of a fang, a claw, and a feather. Each from my great-grandmothers.” Thane took the two rings out of the box, “Let’s get married right now in front of the only person that matters.”  
“What about your parents?” Pyrrha asked.  
Thane shook his head, “This is their wedding, and I don’t want to wait anymore. Whatever happens from here on out, I want you to be my wife.”  
“Here?” Pyrrha asked, “In a brothel? On the run from the King, Queen, and Royal Guard?”  
“It’s like something out of a fairytale.” Thane flashed a toothy smile.  
“So much for romance.” Pyrrha wrapped her arms around his neck.  
“What?” Thane asked, “I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wanted to get married in my brother’s brothel.”  
Pyrrha kissed him, Thane wrapped his arms around her lower back, and pulled her close.  
Thane broke the kiss, “I never got an answer…”  
“Oh?” Pyrrha revealed her hand with both rings on, “I could’ve sworn I said: “yes” a few days ago. One condition.”  
“Name it.” Thane smiled.  
“After the whole big mess is over and done with, we do exactly that.” Pyrrha smiled, “A small cabin by the river with our twenty-two children.”  
“Done.” Thane nodded.  
Golga stepped forward and wrapped the two in a red sash, “May the gods hold you in their hands, and may they never close their fists too tight. Beannachd Dia dhuit.”  
Thane tilted his head.  
Golga chuckled, “I love you both.”  
Thane nodded, “Wilhelm.”  
Wilhelm and Ruby poked their heads out of the doorway back downstairs, “Come on. Did you really think I didn’t know what was going on? Congratulations brother and sister.”  
“Thank you, brother.” Thane smiled.  
“Oh, Pyrrha I’m so happy!” Ruby bounced.  
“Thank you Ruby.” Pyrrha giggled.  
“Now what are we to do now?” Wilhelm asked, “Angering queens is one of my specialities. But angering mother is something I wouldn’t even think of attempting.”  
“I guess you missed that part Wilhelm.” Pyrrha chirped, “We’ll give the queen her song and dance. After all, we know what’s going on.”  
Thane nodded as Ruby, Wilhelm, and Golga retreated back inside.  
“You’ve got some good people looking out for you.” Thane kissed her cheek.

* * *

Pyrrha woke up in Stormhaven, only it was empty, deserted even… The rookery was empty, the servant’s quarters abandoned, the Great Library full of curled spider husks, the stables full of bones, and the kennels filled with fur.  
A spike of fear shot up her spine as she dashed outside, jumping down the stairs three, four steps at a time. She made it to the balcony overlooking the training yard when she saw the slain corpse of a white dragon. There was so much blood she almost didn’t see the white scales. Its wings were riddled with gashes and holes. Three glass arrows penetrated its back and exited its chest.  
She shook her head and ran out of Stormhaven, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Beacon in flames. A dragon flew over her and its wingbeat laid her on her back. Its scales were darker than blood. Its limbs, lower jaw, wing joints, and bits across its torso were mechanical. The wings themselves were scattered with holes and tears, Pyrrha reached out, and she could feel what it did.  
Pain…Agony…Hatred…Bloodlust…A burning desire for revenge…  
A second dragon rivaling the other’s size flew over next. This one was completely normal, as normal as a dragon could be. Its base scales were a smoky silver. Its armor scales – forearms, claws, chest, head, neck, and horns were darker than the midnight sky. What caught Pyrrha’s attention however was that they both had emerald eyes…  
“Briinah!” The silver/black dragon roared, “Mu het saviikiil!”  
“Lo!” The half-mechanical dragon roared back, “Hi ni zeymahi! Zu’u ni piraak zeymahhe!”  
“Bo voth mu wah hofkiin Briinah!” The silver/black dragon pleaded.  
“Hofkiin?” The half-mechanical dragon chuckled, “Zu’u ni piraak. Daar lein fen aus faaz naal kesti, bein junaarre motaad ahst rahgoli, pah fin lein fen kreh ahrk ag us vokun do dii viingge!”  
“Mu fen qahnaar hi Briinah!” The silver/black dragon declared.  
“Hi fen unt.” The half-mechanical dragon charged.  
Pyrrha had to intervene, she didn’t have the faintest idea as to how, but there was a burning feeling in her gut telling her she needed to stop them. It began raining blood and oil as the two dragons kicked, clawed, and bit each other. They roared at each other so loudly the cry echoed across Remnant. Pyrrha closed her eyes and covered her ears praying the deafening echo would stop.  
When she opened her eyes, she saw a tall king standing before her. He had olive skin with blood red hair, with his hood up she couldn’t see any clear features but what she did see were a pair of emerald eyes in the darkness. He stood before a banner its sigil eerily similar to the centerpiece of Thane’s crown. In his right hand was a sword with the blade set ablaze. In his left was a gun, it had four barrels and a bloodshot demon eye in the center. The king raised his gun and pulled the trigger.  
Pyrrha shot up and Hunter looked at her with a curious glance. Pyrrha smiled and scratched each head before changing her sheets again. Hunter jumped in bed first and stole her pillow. Pyrrha crossed her arms and waited for him to move. When he didn’t Pyrrha crawled into bed and used Hunter as a pillow for the rest of the night. 

* * *

_ **Sunday** _

* * *

Pyrrha stood on a block while her dress was carefully put on her. She looked in the mirror and saw herself in the most ludicrously fluffy dress she’d ever seen. With so much make she’d pass for a clown.  
“This is what passes for fashion in Atlas?” Golga stepped out of the corner.  
“According to Charlie it is.” Pyrrha sighed.  
“Then Charlie is an idiot.” Golga dragged a box out of the corner, “And it’s a good thing I dug a little something out of storage.”  
Pyrrha turned around curious and gasped.  
“Now…” Golga smiled, “Get out of that…thing and wipe that cake off your face.”  
Pyrrha smiled and began to do what her mother instructed.  
On the other side of Stormhaven, Thane was entering the Shrine gardens.  
"Qaphsiel…" Thane knelt before her statue, "I am here to ask a favor. There is a soul in Ukkzukzur by the name of Leonidas Nikos. His daughter is getting married today, and it would mean the world to her if her father could give her away." The wind around him swirled and howled. Thane knew he had his answer. He smiled and rose to his feet, "Thank you."  
In the skies above Remnant there was a golden field, the three suns were at their zenith, and the two forces stood opposite each other. On the one side were the Knights of Atlantis, armored head-to-toe in blue plate mail waving the banner of their Lord and Master Poseidon. On the other side were three-hundred men armed with only spear and shield. Their unbreakable phalanx had withstood all who dared charge at them.  
A glorious symphony of battle cries, the clash of metal on metal, the thud of metal on flesh soon filled the air. When the Atlanteans fell, warriors of every age and every place jumped into the fray. All well matched in battle, dressed in their war gear, and fighting their damnedest. Twilight bathed the battlefield and more than half of the three hundred were lying dead in the grass. The purple sky signaled the end of battle, and the ones remained standing helped the dead to their feet. They congratulated each other on a well-fought battle and began toward the halls of Ukkzukzur.  
"My king." Artemis grabbed Leonidas' forearm and pulled him to his feet.  
Leonidas chuckled. "I don't think I'm your king anymore."  
Artemis laughed as well as they began marching back. "No matter the time nor place, you'll always be our king Leonidas. Why else would we continue following you once we came here? Wherever here is…"  
"I still never would have expected this." Leonidas could see Ukkzukzur in the distance.  
"A beautiful death deserves a beautiful afterlife, wouldn't you agree?" Artemis smiled, "We eat, we drink, and we fight for all eternity."  
"Did you ever go hunting with your daughter?" Leonidas asked as they began back.  
Artemis shook his head, “No.”  
“I would’ve liked to have gone hunting with Pyrrha.” Leonidas smiled, “Teach her how to use a bow, how to clean a deer, how to fight.”  
Artemis guffawed, “She’s YOUR daughter after all. Fighting is in her blood.”  
Leonidas chuckled, “Do you miss it? The world we left behind?”  
"Every day," Artemis sighed, "But we knew then, that we weren't going back…"  
"Aye," Leonidas nodded, "Aye…" He sees the others close to Ukkzukzur. "  
"Astinos has finally felt a woman's warmth…" Artemis pointed to his son with a woman in her own suit of armor. "If only she could bear a child."  
"Birth in the afterlife?" Leonidas asked with a smile.  
"I guess you're right." Artemis chuckled.  
"Father…" Astinos bowed, "My King."  
"Artemis…" The woman warrior nodded. "Leonidas."  
"This is the king, girl." Artemis sharply responded, "You'll address him accordingly."  
"YOUR king." She responded with just as much of an edge, "Not mine."  
Artemis growled.  
"Captain." Leonidas intervened before he made a fool of himself, "I've already told you, I'm not the king here."  
"Loyalty." She waved at Leonidas, "You must have been a great man to inspire such even in death."  
"I did what any free man would." Leonidas simply stated. "Come, join us during the feast."  
"I'd love to." She answered. "But I have my own brothers and sisters to dine with."  
As Leonidas and Artemis took their seats with their brothers. A hush fell over the mighty hall. They looked around and saw her standing on the other end.  
She was twice the size of anyone there. One wing was as wide as a man's outstretched arms fingertip-to-fingertip and both were fully outstretched and on display. Her battle-scared armor somehow gave off an immaculate appearance, it's unique design of covering her bust and legs while still exposing cleavage and her midriff.  
Finally, was the great sword on her hip, longer than a man was tall. While it would take a man two hands and all of their strength to wield, she did it easily with one. She was Qaphsiel, the Angel of Wrath.  
It was because of her that the warriors were granted entry into Ukkzukzur. Everyone sung her praises and cheered as she stepped into the hall. She smiled and greeted each of them with open arms, until she found her target. The Warrior Angel approached, and the men all turned to her.  
"Leonidas…" She spoke, and he stood up, "You are needed in the Land of the Living."  
"I am?" Leonidas tilted his head.  
"Aye." Qaphsiel nodded. "It would seem your daughter is getting married."  
Leonidas jumped over the table and stared into the angel's eyes. "For true?"  
Qaphsiel simply smiled and the two were inside the Shrine Gardens of Stormhaven. Qaphsiel returned to the skies, while Leonidas walked out of the gardens.  
Stormhaven was an enormous stronghold extending across many acres of land, defended by two layers of strong granite walls. The outer walls were at least 80 feet tall and the inner had to be 100 feet tall, and there was a wide moat with sharpened spears located between them. He scanned the inner walls as best he could and found that they were crenellated with more than thirty watchtowers built into them. The outer walls had guard turrets built into them. All the windows were diamond-shaped panes of glass. The more he explored he made a rather interesting discovery: whoever built this castle never levelled the ground, meaning that the castle complex spanned several hills and valleys, which could only mean that some of the older buildings have slanting and sloped floors. He searched for any evidence to prove his theory and found a covered bridge which connected the fourth floor of the bell tower to the second floor of the rookery, with the two buildings raising out of different sections of hillside. The main gatehouse consists of two large crenellated bulwarks, and drawbridge opens onto the market square of the StormTown outside, but the Hunter's Gate on the opposite side of the castle opens directly onto open fields and is favored by hunting parties. The East Gate in the inner walls opens onto the King's Gate of the outer walls.  
Leonidas looked up at the impressive fortress and nodded with approval. He wandered the StormTown with the Faunus working the stalls, once he reached the main keep rose pedals were falling all around him. He stepped inside and saw a familiar blonde sitting at the bar with a man he'd never seen before.  
Glynda wore a beautiful white-gold one shoulder dress with a dramatic cascading cape in the back. The front of the dress had a heavily gathered belt at the waist and gathering on the side of the skirt.  
"How's your brother doing?" Glynda asked taking a sip of tea.  
"Probably shitting his guts out." Wilhelm shrugged caressing Glynda's hand.  
"Seriously?" Glynda kept drinking.  
"Probably." Wilhelm shrugged again, "I mean if you asked him to lead the Vanguards and he'll do it naked, bare handed, without a second thought, but ask him to marry the woman carrying his child and he's about as useless as a new-born."  
"I'm sorry could you repeat that?" Leonidas tapped Wilhelm's shoulder.  
Glynda's tea went flying across the table, "Leo?!"  
"Who the fuck is Leo?" Wilhelm looked as Glynda frantically wiped her chin.  
"Father of the bride," Glynda stared at him, "And supposed to be dead."  
"I was…" Leonidas nodded. "But I was told Pyrrha was getting married and I wasn't going to miss this."  
“So, you dug yourself out of the grave to give away your daughter?” Wilhelm raised an eyebrow, “I think I know who just won “Father-of-the-year.”  
"Follow me." Glynda led him to where the bride was getting ready. She knocked on the door, Leonidas gasped Pyrrha was revealed wearing the same dress he married Golga in so many years ago. It was a white-gold Aphrodite wedding dress, a sleeveless all over organza lace ball gown with an illusion bateau neckline, an illusion lace appliqué sweetheart bodice with scattered sequins and visible boning, an illusion lace back with a large keyhole finished with a corset, and a chapel train. Her hair was in her usual ponytail with her golden circlet and a see-through veil over her hair.  
"That's not my daughter," Leonidas couldn't fight the tears when he saw her standing there.  
"Dad/Leonidas?!" Pyrrha and Golga shrieked.  
"I know, I know." Leonidas quickly dismissed. "But, Pyrrha? Is that really my Pyrrha?"  
"Leonidas how are you here?" Golga asked.  
"Qaphsiel brought me back for her wedding." Leonidas continued to cry. "I just wasn't prepared for this."  
Pyrrha burst into tears as she embraced her father. "I can't believe she did that, I'm so glad."  
"Did I hear it right?" Leonidas asked. "We have a grandchild on the way?"  
Pyrrha began laughing away her tears as she placed her father's hand on her belly. "Yep."  
"I hope Qaphsiel can bring me back again for the birth." Leonidas smiled.  
Before she could answer, the door swung open and Nora strode in. Behind her was Team RWBY in their own dresses and returning was Professor Goodwitch. The girls’ dresses were white-gold chiffon floor-length gowns in an A-line cut. Their dresses featured an illusion neckline, a high neck, a bow in the back of the neck, and glamorous side slit. Pyrrha quickly recomposed herself.  
"Father." she pointed accordingly, "This is my teammate Nora and my sister Team Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao-Long. They're my bridesmaids, and the Maid of Honor, Professor Goodwitch."  
"It's an honor to meet you all on this beautiful day." Leonidas wiped his tears.  
"It's a good thing I brought these." Yang had a box of tissues in her hand, "Because its only gonna get worse."  
Leonidas chuckled as he took the box. "Of that I have no doubt."  
"Before we go out there." Pyrrha chuckled again, "Thane and his family are kinda old school."  
"How so?" Leonidas asked.  
"You'll see." Glynda answered checking her watch. "Ladies. It's time."  
Pyrrha began to hyperventilate once the words registered in her mind. Golga and Leonidas smiled and helped her regain her composure. Glynda and RWBY were the first ones out, followed by Golga and Leonidas, finally was Pyrrha. But she didn't enter the hallway, she put her back against the wall and adjacent to her was Thane.  
Clad in a night-black three-piece suit, white shirt and tie, and a small red rose in his lapel. What grabbed Leonidas' eyes was the crown on his head. It covered his forehead; the middle piece was a great sword with a dragon head on the left and a spider head on the right. Decorating the band were twelve additional swords and five grand jewels: a diamond, an emerald, a sapphire, an amethyst, and a ruby.  
Pyrrha held out her hand, and Thane's hand greeted her. Deciding not to look at one another just yet they smiled and savored the warmth of one another's grip.  
"I love you." Pyrrha smiled.  
Thane squeezed her hand, "I love you too." He let go and proceeded to the altar.  
Glynda handed Pyrrha a bouquet of red, gold, and white roses. She nodded and smiled as the veil was put in front of her face. Golga took her left arm while Leonidas took her right. Ruby and Weiss went first, followed by Blake and Yang, finally was Glynda and Nora. Jaune, Ren, and Adam were standing next to Thane while Wilhelm was on the floor above them with his undead choir, he raised his hands and angelic singing began filled the air.  
Leonidas was now figuring out what Glynda meant when he saw King Stanley behind Thane. Once Pyrrha was in position Wilhelm ceased the music.  
"Ladies, Gentlemen, Human, Beastmen…" Stanley spoke gently but loud enough for everyone to hear. "It is an honor that you came to witness the joining of these two souls."  
A stone circle in the ceiling broke into five pieces revealing the six moons in the sky.  
"Here in the sight of Moons and Men," Stanley continued, "I bind these two souls in unity, until the moons collide, the suns burn out, the oceans dry, the trees wilt, and the mountains blow away with the wind. Thane."  
Thane nodded and turned to Pyrrha, he undid his cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders, "I vow to protect you with my life, to love you with every drop of my soul, to shoulder your burdens as if they were my own, and to never leave your side. In the name of Faraxion, Heilzfore, Yriscox, Kresellis, and Farcraxon. I am yours, from this day until my last day."  
"Pyrrha does not follow our customs." Stanley announced. "But I understand she has written her own vows. Pyrrha."  
Pyrrha cleared her throat. "There are no words that can describe my love for you. I truly believe there exists some combination of words. There must exist certain words in a certain specific order…but all I can manage is: "All of my time and experiences are meaningless without you. Falling in love with you was the easiest thing I have ever done. Nothing else matters to me but you and every day I’m alive I’m aware of this. I loved you the day I met you, I love you today, I will love you for the rest of my life, and I hope the child growing within me, is the first of many."  
The crowd laughed as Pyrrha finished her vows.  
"I'll do my best." Thane winked.  
"You may present the crown." Stanley nodded.  
Jaune stepped up with a polished oak box. He opened it revealing a small crown. Pyrrha's symbol was the centerpiece, while to the right was a roaring dragon, and its left was a scowling spider. It had five matching jewels just like Thane's.  
"I made this combining metal from my homeland and yours." Thane gingerly placed the crown on her head. The Five Moons shined down on the crown making the jewels sparkle.  
"The Moons have accepted it." Stanley smiled and puffed his chest, "It is my great honor to say that you entered Pyrrha Nikos, but you're leaving as Pyrrha Stormheart. Welcome to the family."  
Thane cupped her cheeks and began to pull her forward. Time seemed to stop for Pyrrha, the only sound she heard was the jackhammering in her chest. She couldn't hold back the tears that trailed across Thane's thumbs.  
For some reason, she had a flashback. She was watching a show on her scroll; the main woman was a redheaded warrior just like her. She was on the beach with her love, they inched closer and closer. There was a silhouette of them, teasing her, before the blue-haired idiot shoved her back. Her scroll never recovered after being thrown through her bedroom wall…  
She was brought back to reality when a familiar pair of lips met hers. He hooked his arm behind her waist and dipped her back. She wished this moment could last forever; she couldn't help but be a little saddened when Thane began to straighten her out. He held her face to his for several moments before finally separating. Violet quickly moved everyone to the courtyard where the lovely couple could have their first dance in the moonlights.  
Wilhelm stood at the edges with his undead choir and cleared his throat.

** _Now I've heard there was a secret cord_ **   
** _ That David played, and it pleased the lord_ **   
** _ But you don't really care for music, do you?_ **

  
"Wilhelm's voice is lovely," Pyrrha had one hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand.  
"Well," Thane shrugged as his hooked his hand around her back again and pulled her close, "Most spells require perfect pronunciation, he decided if he was going to perfect his pronunciation, he may as well be a singer too."  
"Don't really need that when you have giant sword now do you?" Pyrrha smiled looking into her husband's eyes.  
Husband, even though they married each other the other night, it didn’t feel official until right now. Maybe it was a good thing that they had the big ceremony. She rested her head on his shoulder and could feel tears in the corner of her eyes.  
Thane lifted her head and gave her a light peck on her lips. Soon enough the song ended, and the other couples joined them. Stanley and Violet, Glynda and Wilhelm, Blake and Adam, Jaune and Weiss, Ren and Nora, Taiyang and Raven, Kali and Ghira, Coco and Velvet, Yang…and Sun?  
The undead band began to play a song specially picked for Thane.  


** _A bear there was  
A bear, A BEAR!  
All black and brown  
And covered in hair!  
_ **

As the song was playing Roman, Neo, and the other servants brought out the food and wine. One mammoth, five oxen, and several goats and stags were the main course.  
“You know Neo.” Roman sat down with his own plate, “Days like this, I wish they could last forever.” Neo nodded and ate her meal next to him. Roman took once little sip of wine and began coughing, “Holy shit! They DO NOT mess around!” Neo took the wine from him and drank. She immediately handed it back to him in a coughing fit.  
Thane noticed a particular absence, he got up and found her on the balcony overlooking the StormTown.  
“Is it normal the bride to miss her own wedding here?” Thane commented wrapping his arms around her waist. He began rubbing her belly in a circle.  
Pyrrha couldn’t help but giggle, “I never really enjoyed the spotlight. As glamorous as it is, it’s always so lonely…”  
“Not anymore.” Thane kissed her cheek.  
Pyrrha turned around and kissed him. She took his had and lead him back into the castle. Some say true love didn’t exist. Some said it was something that only existed in fairy tales, not in the harsh reality that we lived in.  
The simple emotion, love, was so scrutinized under humanity’s eyes. Men throughout history talked about love, debated it, studied it, dissected and deconstructed it… They struggled to understand the sacred emotion. Was it a mere chemical reaction in the mind? Or something more from within the person’s core?  
When Pyrrha stared into Thane’s eyes, or rather, her husband’s eyes, she realized that all the scholars and all those philosophers in the world could not understand what she felt. She loved Thane Stormheart, and he loved her more than anything else in the world, the kind of love that stories and legends surrounded.  
When she stared into the dark chocolate eyes of her one true love, Pyrrha understood love. Not in words, but in her heart, in her emotions. It was unmistakable for the young woman. The fire burning in the pit of her stomach, made of desire, trust, empathy, and jealousy, was love.  
“Something on your mind?” Her husband’s sweet voice inquired, and Pyrrha chuckled, before shaking her head, “Are we going back to the party?”  
She was brought back to reality, out of her fantasies and into the castle she and her King would soon leave behind.  
Pyrrha almost laughed at the thought as she looked at her love. “No. Just thinking about how lucky I am. Today’s been amazing, Thane,” she admitted.  
“And it isn’t over yet.” Her hand squeezed his, and she turned her head to the other end of the stone hall, opposite of the party. There was a doorway, and it would lead them to their bedroom. Just beyond that door…  
The crimson-haired beauty glanced back at him, a coy grin on her face as her eyes shimmered with something he rarely saw from his love.  
Mischief? Lust? Both, most likely. “Are you ready to…?” Her hand found his, squeezing it as she struggled to say the words. Her face was blushing, and despite her half-lidded eyes begging for it, she struggled to actually give voice to her desire.  
Thane chuckled, almost laughing at his lover as she finally found the right words. “Are you ready to celebrate the start of our honeymoon?”  
Their honeymoon… For Thane, it was hard to believe just hours ago they were standing at the altar, exchanging vows as they swore themselves to each other. But Pyrrha was right. It was time to celebrate the start of their honeymoon, and their new lives as husband and wife…  
“Nothing would make me happier.” Without any warning, he picked Pyrrha up, holding her in his arms the same way he carried her out of their wedding. One arm under her knees, and the other on her back, gently stroking her body as he effortlessly carried her.  
“Oh my,” she moaned, heart skipping a beat as she gently stroked his chest through his clothes. “Someone’s eager.”  
“Can you blame me?” Thane pushed the door open with his back, carefully carrying his wife into the bedroom. Pyrrha’s head avoided the doorframe, before she her hand touched her lips. She gasped as she realized the room was already illuminated by several candles all throughout the room.  
Candles stood on golden stands along the edges of the room, and around the bed Thane had set for them. Each candle seemed to give out a fragrance, and Pyrrha took a deep whiff as she closed her eyes.  
“I smell… the forest?”  
“A gift from Noelle, I thought it would match the bed. Maybe bring back some old memories.” The man gently dropped his love onto their freshly cleaned bed, and she marveled at the soft pelts under her.  
The wolf pelts were warm from the light of the candles, a stark contrast to the cool night outside. Pyrrha gasped as her hands stroked the soft fur, marveling at how the soft hairs tickled her fingers.  
“Do you like it?” Thane asked, and Pyrrha turned her face to look him in the eyes. He smiled as he realized there were tears pooling in the corners of her own eyes,  
“It’s perfect.” She took her husband by his tie, holding it as she pulled him into a quick kiss. He pecked her soft lips, before pulling his head back. She held onto his tie, though, staring into his eyes with a hungry smile.  
“Ready to ruin this bed?” Pyrrha teased, her face scarlet as her heart raced. Every word seemed to leave her breathless as she stroked the soft fur under her body.  
“I’m ready to ruin you, my love,” he replied, already taking off his tie. As soon as it was untied, Pyrrha tossed it aside for him, before she watched him take the rest of his clothes off.  
“Not changing?” he inquired, glancing at her dress.  
“I’d rather have you help me out of this outfit, if it’s all the same to you,” she teased.  
“Ooh, I like the sound of that.”  
Pyrrha laughed, and Thane could tell it was forced. Not because she wasn’t charmed by her husband, but rather because Pyrrha was trying to hide just how eager she was to feel his cock. If their previous sessions were ending to judge from, she’ll be screaming to the heavens soon.  
As Thane took his clothes off, revealing his scarred skin and muscular frame, his mind wandered slightly. He found himself just as eager as Pyrrha was, but with just a hint of worry. He wanted this night to be one of their best, if not the best night of their lives so far.  
It wasn’t like this was their first-time making love. That had been a long time ago, honestly. But this was their first time as a married couple, and despite being more in control of himself than his wife, Thane’s cheeks were a rosy hue.  
His clothes laid on the ground, and his cock throbbed as he looked down at his lovely wife. She smiled in return, placing a hand over her breast. “I’m yours.”  
This earned her a smile, and Thane soon fell onto the bed of wolf pelts, kissing his wife as she melted in his arms. His fingers gently caressed her cheek as his other hand moved around her back, unzipping the dress just enough to make it hang loosely onto her body.  
The two broke their kiss, staring at one another. Pyrrha’s fingers traced a scar running down her lover’s chest as his eyes were glued to her chest. He smiled, practically licking his teeth as he admired her gifted bosom. The white dress barely hid her nipples, and she blushed as she realized just where his eyes were.  
“It’s all yours,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his head and pulling him towards her. He allowed himself to fall onto her, his face pressed between her breasts. Pyrrha didn’t seem to mind the extra weight, in fact, she seemed to love the feeling of him on top of her.  
His tongue pushed out of his mouth, smacking against one of her breasts as his hand yanked on the dress. The dress had been so tight, and the material just thick enough, that Pyrrha hadn’t bothered wearing a bra. So, when he pulled on the dress, he was witness to her gorgeous body, almost drooling at the sight of her naked breasts.  
“You married me not wearing a bra?” he chuckled, kneading one of her breasts as he pulled his head back just enough to speak. His finger pressed down on her nipple as she moaned, her entire face painted scarlet.  
“I-I didn’t think it would be a problem. I thought it would make things easier later…”  
“Heh. You were right.” He wrapped his lips around her nipple, sucking on it as his hand continued to knead and squeeze her breast. His strong hands pushed down on her body, earning another moan from Pyrrha’s sweet lips.  
Thane eventually switched, sucking and bathing one breast in his saliva as his other hand played with her breast. He touched the boob, feeling his own spit as he squeezed the firm shape. He gave her nipple a pinch, before pulling on it, lifting it off her chest as she moaned.  
“Y-your mouth feels so good,” she confessed with a shiver.  
“Yours does too,” he replied. He spoke from experience, and Pyrrha’s blush glowed as she tried to ignore him. Memories of her sucking his cock, lips wrapped around the girthy, savory member played out in her head as Thane released her.  
Her breast came free with a pop, before Thane licked his lips. “Delicious.” Pyrrha did not seem to match or appreciate his little comment. The redhead was blushing up a storm, shaking as she spread her legs apart.  
“S-stop teasing me,” she begged, voice breathless. “Please, I-I want you, Thane.”  
What kind of husband could deny such a command? Especially coming from his beautiful, kind wife! Not he, obviously. As Thane played with Pyrrha’s breasts, one hand on each, the young man quietly debated. How should he continue? Her body was so beautiful, he wasn’t sure where to start, where to take things next...  
The question answered itself as Pyrrha stared into his eyes, silently begging one last time, before she kissed him. Her fingers dug into his back as she pulled him close, craving him. She opened her mouth, sticking her tongue into his and letting it swirl inside of him. He tried to gasp in shock, but the small tongue in him left that rather difficult.  
Instead he allowed Pyrrha to lead them. Thane kissed back, wrapping his arms around her back as their tongues wrestled. The emerald-eyed beauty moaned loudly, gasping as her husband’s tongue explored her mouth.  
It almost felt like their first kiss all over again. Tongues smacking, lips pressed together, and their eyes opening in the middle of the kiss. They stared into each other’s eyes, pulling apart as thin threads of saliva linked their mouths. They quietly laughed; their faces red as they became drunk on their love.  
Pyrrha gave her husband another kiss, before she released him. She pulled at her hair, taking the small ribbon holding it off. Her ponytail became undone, and long, red hair fell down her back.  
The beautiful redhead laid on her back, her scarlet locks laying under her like the wolf pelts making up their bed. Her emerald eyes glowed with love as intense as the sun, desire flickering in her gaze like a flame. Her body was on full display, hefty, naked breasts sitting on her chest as she rubbed her hips to and fro. Her arms laid over her head, resting there as she smiled.  
“Take me…”  
Thane obeyed his queen, laying on her again and positioning his hard cock between her legs. With one slow, gentle thrust, the man was inside his wife, and her tight walls were wrapped tightly around his shaft.  
Pyrrha moaned, and her husband did the same as he kissed and licked her soft neck. He sucked on her flawless skin as he pushed deeper and deeper into her, filling her as she continued to moan.  
They were the perfect fit for one another, it felt. His throbbing, veiny cock inside her warm, welcoming, and wet pussy. Her walls tightened around him, squeezing her arms wrapped around him once more. She pulled him close, whispering something before she kissed him again.  
“I love you.”  
Thane wanted to say the same, but Pyrrha’s lips made that rather difficult. He kissed back, his moans trapped by her lips as he bucked his hips back and forth. He slowly dragged his dick back, almost pulling it out of her until only the tip was inside her. Then he pushed forward, thrusting into her once more. She moaned in his arms, panting as he slowly built up speed.  
Every thrust was building pressure inside of her. Her legs lifted from the bed and wrapped around his body, hooking onto each other as she broke their kiss.  
“Thane…”  
“I love you, Pyrrha,” he whispered, kissing her cheeks, tasting her soft, warm flesh. She let out a mewl, shuddering as her tongues hung out of her mouth.  
“Oh, fuck,” she cursed. Thane grinned. He loved bringing out the naughty side of his lover. She was always so polite, so sweet… to see her curse and swear like that, it only made his body want her more.  
Thane allowed his body to go wild on her, his white leathery wings began to spread until fully extended. They both knew she was strong enough to take it, and honestly, she’d probably be offended at anything less than his best. His arms wrapped around her body, then his wings wrapped did the same, both slipping under her back. One hand grabbed the shoulder opposite of it, while the other held Pyrrha by the back of her head. He stared at her face, watching the way tears of joy pooled in the corner of her eyes as he made love to her.  
“Are you going to cum?” he teased, stealing a quick kiss.  
“Not. Until. You do!” she replied, panting as her treasure squeezed tightly on his shaft. That made Thane pause, and he froze for a moment.  
“Oh, fuck,” he moaned, trembling as Pyrrha’s hips moved. The tight walls of her treasure dragged along every inch of his shaft, sending shockwaves of pleasure throughout his body.  
He stared into her eyes, watching her smile as her eyes shimmered. “Are you going to cum?” she asked, mimicking his teasing voice.  
Thane chuckled, before he pulled Pyrrha into another kiss. Their lips massaged one another’s, before their tongues met in the middle in a passionate kiss. Their tongues wrestled with one another, tasting each other as their bodies moved in sync.  
The young couples’ hips slammed into one another, and it almost felt like the room was shaking every time Thane’s balls slapped against Pyrrha’s body. The two lovers felt like they were floating on clouds, lost to the wonderful sensation of giving yourself to the one you love.  
Their moans filled the room, even leaking out into the night sky outside as they made love. Pyrrha squeezed her husband, tears falling down her face as Thane moaned into her lips. Their breaths were haggard, but neither wanted to stop, even as their hearts pounded and their inevitable climax neared.  
All they felt was pleasure and love. The ecstasy of finding your soulmate. The pure joy of being in love and celebrating that love.  
Thane and Pyrrha held each other tightly as they hit their climax together at the same exact moment. The white-haired man placed his head over her shoulder, and she did the same with his, and all the two heard was each other’s cries as they came.  
His seed spilled forth into her, filling her womb and coating the walls of her womanhood. Pyrrha’s treasure practically milked it out of him, tightening as her muscles spasmed. Their nails dug into the other’s skin as they came, muscles going wild, voices crying out from the unimaginable bliss.  
Eventually they came down from their high, panting as their sweaty bodies clung to one another. Pyrrha’s limbs went limp, sprawled out on the bed as Thane rolled off of his love. His wings kept them together as he laid by her side, trying to catch his breath as his seed slowly leaked out of her treasure.  
“Is every time going to be like this?” Pyrrha panted, eyes aimed at the wrinkles in the leathery appendage as she laid on the bed.  
“Hm. Maybe. Who knows? Maybe we’ll have even better sex next time,” her husband replied with a shrug as he laid on his side. “Only one way to find out.” Thane gave Pyrrha’s breast a gentle squeeze, and she laughed as she turned her head towards him. “Do you think there’s another inside you now?”  
“You’re insatiable. Give me a moment to catch my breath, I don’t think that’s how twins are made.” Pyrrha chuckled.  
“Can you blame me? You’re perfect.” His wings tighted, pulling her close. She didn’t resist, resting her hands and head against his chest with a soft smile. “Who knows? I am magical after all.”  
She could hear his heartbeat, and that sound soothed her own racing heart. “I love you,” she repeated herself. “I love you so much, Thane.”  
“And I you, Pyrrha. I’ll tell you it a million times over. I love you.”  
The two held one another, sharing warmth and just basking in their love as the candlelight illuminated their forms. The night was still young, but for now, this was all the newlyweds wanted.  
“Let’s stay here the rest of the night.” Pyrrha sighed, the beat of his heart acting like a lullaby.  
“And the party?” Thane asked.  
“It’s my wedding.” Pyrrha smirked, “I can do whatever I want at my wedding.” Thane’s wings began to retract, “Can you keep them out tonight? I like the way they feel.”  
Thane tightened his wings around them as they drifted off to sleep.

* * *

“I still don’t like it.” Violet crossed her arms with a glass of juice in her hand.  
“Vi, he’s eighteen.” Stanley reasoned.  
“So?” Violet turned and looked up at her husband.  
“So, he’s two years older than us when WE had him!” Stanley shrugged.  
“That doesn’t make it any better Stanley.” Violet huffed with a blush.  
The gentle giant nudged his wife, “Can you remember the last time he smiled like that?” Stanley asked.  
“Fine!” Violet continued to pout, “You’re right. They look beautiful together…and I can’t wait to meet our grandchild!”  
Stanley chuckled at her when two snowflakes landed on their noses. Wilhelm watched his brother from the other side of the room. He and Glynda had their own table with their own private cask of Aged Metal Sake.  
“Your brother sure knows how to pick them.” Glynda’s cheeks were red, “Miss. Nikos…”  
“Mrs. Stormheart.” Wilhelm corrected.  
“Right.” Glynda nodded, “She’s perfect! Her grades are superb, her combat record is out of this world, and she can put up with Miss. Valkyrie’s insane antics.”  
“I’m just happy she’s smiling again.” Wilhelm pointed at her.  
Glynda tilted her head.  
“When I first met Pyrrha, she actually worried me for a second.” Wilhelm explained, “She always smiled and seemed really happy, but the way she smiled was so empty inside it hurt to watch. Her heart was incredibly wounded, yet she grinned and bared it. I was genuinely surprised she could smile like that, and it was always when she was with him. My brother has got a good head on his shoulders and a heart for helping people. Even when he doesn’t realize it.”  
Glynda tried to process what had just been said when two snowflakes landed on their noses.  
Glynda drunkenly giggled, “Jack Frost nipping at your nose!”  
“Aaaaand that’s enough for you.” Wilhelm sealed the cask.  
“Party pooper.” Glynda crossed her arms.  
Under a tree just outside the Hunter’s Gate was a grand Redwood and Oak hybrid Noelle made to serve as a marker for hunting parties. Under said tree Blake was using Adam’s shirt as a makeshift blanket while her dress was neatly folded beside the tree.  
“Someone hasn’t changed.” Blake snuggled his chest.  
“Go so long with your head up your ass.” Adam shrugged, “You forget about the finer things in life.”  
“Well I’m glad your head’s back on your shoulders.” Blake giggled.  
Adam stretched his arm out and grabbed his jacket. He searched the pockets and pulled out a thin braided silver chain with a matching locket. He opened the locket and revealed two rings.  
“You kept them?” Blake sat up surprised.  
“I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of them.” Adam took the rings out of the locket, “I was standing on the beach in Menagerie, I had them in my hand…but I couldn’t do it. I guess I always hoped we’d get back together.” Blake was stunned, “So…what do you say? Can we pick up where we left off?”  
Blake shook her head, “No. But we can try something new.” She took the ring and slipped it on her ring finger.  
Adam chuckled, “I can live with that.”  
The two locked lips once again when they both felt a snowflake fall on their noses.  
“Snow?” Blake broke the kiss.  
“It is getting around that time.” Adam shrugged.  
Blake flicked his forehead, “There’s a whole season before winter silly.” Blake sighed, “Come on, let’s get back before people start to worry.”  
Adam drank in every delicious curve Blake had before she threw his shirt over his face. The two rejoined the party, she waved at Weiss sitting with Jaune when she saw Yang with the widest shit-eating grin Blake had ever seen.  
“So.” Weiss delicately ate her meal, “Was your first date with me everything you dreamed of?”  
Jaune snorted as he ate, “You know what? I’m so used to you rejecting me. I’ve forgotten what I’d do if you ever said yes!”  
Weiss broke into a giggle fit, it was music to Jaune’s ears, “No plan survives contact with the enemy.” I’ll bet money even if I said yes back then, you’d be so nervous you’d forget your plans anyway.”  
Jaune nodded, “You’re probably right.”  
“Probably?” Weiss asked.  
“Okay.” Jaune raised his hands, “Definitely right.”  
Weiss nodded and motioned for him to continue.  
“I probably would’ve tried to impress you enough so you would go out with me again.” Jaune shrugged.  
“Wouldn’t have worked.” Weiss shook her head, “Remember who I am? I’ve had suitors from all over the world with more money than you can fathom…”  
“I wouldn’t use money.” Jaune cut her off, “You wanna know what my dad did for my mom their first date? They went out for burgers and shakes.” Weiss leaned in curious for the next part. “My dad thought if she doesn’t like the real him then she shouldn’t be with him. Sure, he may have been a little cheesy with his lines, but it was the little things he did for her that made my mom fall for him. He won her a little stuffed turtle in the restaurant’s crane machine. Instead of driving her home, he went into the pasture, and they lay on the hood of his 67’ Impala – that he ‘borrowed’ from his uncle – and stayed like that for hours just watching the stars.” Jaune crossed his arms with a smirk, “I bet those Atlas boys never tried that.”  
Weiss shook her head, “You are correct. Maybe we could go for burgers sometime, eh, Farm boy?”  
Jaune watched Weiss frown as Jacques mingle with Uther. Or at least try to as he stared into the literal jaws of a lion. Jaune leaned over and tapped her shoulder.  
“Huh?” Weiss asked.  
Jaune gestured to Jacques and decided to bite the bullet, “Why you letting daddy dearest tie you into knots?”  
“Careful Jaune, your country bumkin is showing.” Weiss smirked but Jaune shrugged and she went back to staring at her food, “He’s my father…he’s family…he’s blood.”  
“That ain’t the same thing.” Jaune said.  
Weiss raised her head and looked at him curiously.  
“My daddy once said…” Jaune puffed out his chest, ‘Family don’t end in blood boy, but it ain’t where it starts neither.’ You see, family cares about YOU. Not what you can do for them. Family is there for you, through the good, the bad, and the ugly. They got your back, even when it hurts. That sound anything like your father? For the record the term is: “’Ranch Hand.’”  
Weiss was at a total loss for words. She thought back to her childhood, even before the White Fang started attacking them, her father was only interested in raising the family name and gaining the spoils that came with. How the comforting walls of her white walls of her nursery slowly shifted to the cold cinder of a cell. All the years she suffered to come crashing down when she met an incredibly nervous Red Hood, a flirtatious Buxom Brawler, and a Reclusive Feline.  
“So sorry Rodeo Clown.” Weiss smiled.  
“Ice Queen.” Jaune said.  
“Old.” Weiss dismissed.  
“Oldie but a goldie.” Jaune smiled, “Snowflake.”  
“That’s the best you got?” Weiss asked.  
“No.” Jaune pointed to the snowflake landing on her nose, “Snowflake.”  
“Oh…” Weiss waited for one to land on him, but it never came…she put her silverware down and slammed her sake back, “Well come on Cattleman, I wanna dance one more time before night’s end.”  
“Now you’re just doing that on purpose.” Jaune got up and pulled her close.  
“Yeah.” Weiss twirled then folded back into his arms, “I am.”  
Mercury kicked up his bare feet and wiggled his toes.  
“MERCURY!” Emerald shrieked.  
“What?” Mercury asked, “These damn dress shoes were pinching my toes. They were pinching my toes!” he giggled like a schoolgirl, “Besides the main part is over, time to relax.”  
“I’m still eating here!” Emerald pointed at her plate, “I’d rather not be staring at your gross ass feet! You know you were inconsiderate before, but ever since you got your legs back it’s like you don’t even care anymore.”  
“I am the same as I’ve always been right Cinder?” Mercury turned to their leader.  
“Why can’t I meet a prince?” Cinder pouted with red cheeks.  
Emerald nearly chocked on her food while Mercury put his feet down.  
“Could you repeat that?” Mercury asked.  
Cinder took another drink from her champagne glass, “I know I’m evil and want the world to bow before me, but I’m still a girl! I have needs and feelings too!”  
“Emerald please tell me you brought your scroll.” Mercury leaned over to her.  
“I don’t have pockets.” Emerald whispered.  
Cinder finished her glass and put it down, “Screw this!” she stood up, “I’m going to find a man and broom closet!” she stormed off and grabbed Sun by his collar and dragged him away while Yang was distracted.  
Raven knew exactly what Yang wanted, she waved her over, and led Yang to a secluded balcony. Taiyang was leaning over the edge while Qrow was hiding in a dark corner out of sight. Yang crossed her arms and waited for her mother to say the first word.  
“Look, Yang, I know I haven’t exactly been the best excuse of a mom…” Raven began.  
“Definitely not winning any awards.” Yang scoffed.  
“Not even worst mom of the decade?” Raven attempted to joke.  
Yang shook her head, “No, worst mom would’ve probably stayed with her tribe and try to justify being a raider. You’re here, now aren’t you? Even though I’m basically a mistake…”  
Raven slapped Yang and pulled her by the collar so her forehead was pressed against hers, “You are not a mistake. You are the most beautiful thing I ever created. You’re the only thing I’ve done right in this sad existence. I couldn’t be prouder of what you’ve become, a Xiao-Long. The last thing you’ll ever be is a mistake.”  
Yang had been hit before; she was a boxer for Christ’s sake. Not to mention her semblance required her to take a hit in order for it to be effective.  
“Why?” Yang asked burying her face into her mother’s dress to hide her tears, “Why did you leave?”  
Raven wrapped her arms around Yang’s head, “Yang, I promise I will tell you everything. Just not tonight, I know my word doesn’t mean anything to you, but you have my word, I’ll explain everything when the sun rises.”  
“Come on Firecracker.” Qrow wrenched Yang off his sister, he didn’t spare her a glare as he took Yang back inside. Ruby ran up to her and held her hand.  
“That was…nice.” Taiyang said keeping his eyes on the horizon, “Even though I know you didn’t mean a word of it.”  
“I deserve that.” Raven nodded.  
“You deserve more than that.” Taiyang growled before turning around and starting back inside, he stopped just before the archway into the hall, “Was any of it real?”  
“I remember that day.” Raven uttered barely above a whisper.  
“What day?” Taiyang didn’t turn around.  
Raven sniffed, “Summer was crying, she was wearing a white dress with a black skirt and opera gloves. Qrow wore a suit, but no tie, and he didn’t bother tucking in his shirt. You were the only one with any fashion sense. In your black tuxedo, white shirt, blue vest, and matching bow tie. Then there was me in my red dress, Summer did my hair up, Qrow was laughing when I walked down the aisle alone, and Summer smacked up. I was so nervous, I was blushing up a storm, but you laughed. I don’t know why but it calmed me down, hearing your laugh. I closed my eyes as you pulled me in, then later that night when we made Yang. I never stopped thinking about you. I could never make any meals taste the way you made them. Anytime someone shared my bed, all I saw…all I could feel…was you. I’m sorry I ran.”  
Taiyang stood there in silence, Raven couldn’t see the tears running down his face, and he couldn’t see hers. Taiyang went back into the castle, leaving Raven to cry alone on the balcony. A snowflake drifted down and landed on her nose.  
Ozpin turned off the monitors in his office and leaned back in his chair. He opened a drawer is his desk and pulled out a bottle. The glass was clouded and the writing on the label had faded in time. He uncorked the bottle and sniffed the aroma before pouring a glass.  
“Mistralian was too sweet.” Ozpin whispered to himself, “Valen was too sour. Atlas couldn’t even grow grapes, their “wine” was too sour. But you always loved Vacuo Gold.”  
Ozpin opened the windows to his office and let the cold air flood in.  
“Do you remember out first trip to the beach there?” Ozpin spoke to the moons, “I’ll never forget the way the sun kissed your skin, how the wind danced with your hair, or how the water made you sparkle brighter than diamonds.” He took a drink, “We never should have left that beach.” Tears began to stream down his cheeks, “Do you think there’s still a chance for us?” He looked back into the night sky, “What if we made a ship…” Ozpin begged the stars for answer, “What if we sailed west of Vacuo? Beyond the ends of the map, to see if there were really walls of fire? Boiling seas? Ebony Fogs that never cease? Even the gates to the Thirteen Hells? Wow, only here for a few months and I’m already speaking like them, heh. We could leave Remnant behind, and sail wherever the wind carried us!” Ozpin sniffled as he drank again, “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss you…if given the opportunity…would you? Would you leave it all behind and sail with me for the rest of time? Discovering new lands, eating foods none have ever heard of, maybe…maybe having another family?”  
Ozpin watched a snowflake land in the wine before sealing it and sliding it back into his desk. He pulled out a small portrait of a family with the father cut out of it.  
“We never should have left that beach…” Ozpin sighed before falling asleep on his desk.  
In the great library. Arachanox was digging though the more ancient tomes. Until he found one made of black steel similar to the one, he gave Pyrrha.  
“Fimbulwinter…” he whispered as he read through the book, “It has begun…”

* * *

Pyrrha woke up in the middle of a colossal ornate chamber. There were five main entrances and the doors were taller than she could’ve imagined. Soon enough the doors opened and in walked fifteen dragons. Three of each moon color, two elders, and a drake.  
“I’m assuming you heard?” Pyrrha understood the male elder purple dragon speak.  
“What dragon didn’t?” The female elder white dragon asked, “Why are we here?”  
“The balance has been distrusted.” The female elder purple spoke, “With Tiamat gone we are free to rule over this land.”  
“Was mother’s corpse even cold before you though of this idea?” The male elder blue dragon snapped.  
“Destiny does not come for those who stand around and do nothing!” The female elder purple dragon roared.  
The elders began clashing as the drakes huddled in the corner of the room. Pyrrha went to the drakes to see what they were going to do. To her surprise, the drakes were cowering behind each other.  
The sounds of battle finally died down. Pyrrha peaked around the corner and saw the elders snarling at each other. They opened their mouths and a respective fire began to brew in their mouths. The blue drake summoned a shield to protect the others. But the tiniest among them didn’t get behind the shield.  
“Mommy!” the green drake jumped out of the corner.  
“Wait, no!” Pyrrha chased after it.  
The resulting blast sent both Pyrrha and the drake hurling out of the temple. Pyrrha was unharmed, but the drake was coated in the five flames. Pyrrha hadn’t the slightest idea for how long they’d been flying, the distance they crossed had to have been more than the span of a continent.  
Eventually they came to a stop, Pyrrha did at least, she remained in the air and watched helplessly as the drake plummeted to the frozen wasteland below. Pyrrha floated down and began searching for the drake.  
“Mommy!” the drake called out, “Mommy!”  
Pyrrha could barely hear it over the roaring artic winds. Pyrrha eventually found it and ran to its side. She gasped at the patches of scales missing, it tried spreading its wings. One wing barely spread, only it didn’t matter the wing itself was half missing. The other wing was burnt to ash.  
It had given up calling out for its mother, now it resorted to guttural grunts and cries. The only response was the howling artic winds. When it’s voice finally gave out, it collapsed in the snow. Her hands went right though it, but she stayed by its side until its breathing finally stopped. There was a low rumble and when she looked up, she saw an avalanche barreling down on them. When it consumed them she woke up.

* * *

Pyrrha threw her arm over the other side of the bed. Instead of feeling her husband, she felt more wolf pelts. She looked around and saw Thane sitting at his desk. She smiled into her pillow, threw off the pelts, and stretched her tired bones.  
She rolled over and kicked her feet in the air, “Did you sleep at all?”  
She earned a chuckle from Thane, “How could I? Someone has an insatiable appetite. Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”  
“Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve stayed up through the night.” Pyrrha shrugged.  
“How do you expect me to carry out my Princely duties when you’re over there looking like that?” Thane’s eyes trailed up Pyrrha’s exposed flesh.  
“You don’t.” Pyrrha threw her mane of hair over her shoulder, “You come back to bed and snuggle your wife.”  
“Well that settles that.” Thane disrobed and jumped back in bed, “I can’t disobey my wife, can I?”  
“No, you cannot.” Pyrrha threw the pelts over them, “I…Do you have any regrets? About this? About us? About…” she trailed across her belly.  
“I’ve never felt saner about anything in my entire life.” Thane declared.  
“I wasn’t sure…” Pyrrha forced a chuckle, “I didn’t know if you were or weren’t…” Thane leaned in and captured her lips.  
“Does that answer your question?” He broke the kiss.  
“Now what do we do?” Pyrrha asked.  
“Once the tourney is over, we’ll go to my Parents.” Thane answered, “I’ll pass the crown to Noelle and we’ll leave this place behind us. Maybe build our own castle on Patch. Ruby says there’s plenty of room if we can clear out the grimm. Shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.”  
“Thane are you awake yet?” Bianca burst in and saw their naked bodies, “Excuse me, I need to gouge my eyes out.”  
“This is why you knock Bianca.” Thane grabbed his robe and Pyrrha pulled the wolf pelts over her.  
“It’s time to announce the tournament.” Bianca sighed, “Preferably with pants on.”  
“Can this wait?” Thane sighed tying off his belt.  
“No it can’t.” Bianca held a bundle of files over her shoulder, “Father wants to work with Ozpin, see if we can tie the Wedding Tourney with something called the: “Vytal Festival”?”  
“The hell’s a Vytal Festival?” Thane asked taking the files.  
“It’s a tournament created to celebrate the end of the Great War and the unification of the four kingdoms.” Pyrrha explained wrapping a pelt around her, “Every two years a kingdom opens its borders and people from all over the world meet and indulge in one another’s cultures. The tournament is meant to test the strength of their hunters in a safe and friendly competitive environment. So, that the kingdoms never settle for mediocrity and strive to be the best. Amity Colosseum was constructed by all four kingdoms and is a shining symbol of harmony.”  
“I already don’t like it.” Thane handed the files back to Bianca.  
“Oh?” Pyrrha turned to her husband.  
“This tournament only allows hunters to enter right? What about the civilians?” Thane asked, “They’re watching trainees fight other trainees, wouldn’t it be more fun to watch full-fledged hunters fight other full-fledged hunters?” Thane thought it over, “I have a better idea.”  
“What do you propose?” Pyrrha and Bianca asked.  
“A tournament, but one of ours.” Thane smiled, “Anyone can enter, anyone has a shot at glory hunter or civilian. Ozpin can have his flying colosseum, and we’ll have our own right here on the ground.”  
“By your command.” Bianca smiled closing the door behind her.  
“What do you mean by one of our tournaments?” Pyrrha asked.  
“One where anyone can enter, and everyone has a shot at glory.” Thane explained, “Not just fighters. Jousting, archery, drinking, pie eating.”  
“Pie eating?” Pyrrha raised an eyebrow.  
Thane snickered, “That one’s my favorite, especially when Lord Uther enters the ring. He’ll drink anyone under the table, devour more pies than anyone, and still beat anyone in the melee ring.”“Should he really be competing then?” Pyrrha asked.  
“He does it for fun.” Thane began to get dressed, “He always gives the prize money to second place. Unless they’re ungrateful, then he gives it away.”  
“So…” Pyrrha blushed, “I don’t have anything to wear, aside from my wedding dress.”  
“Oh, that’s no problem.” Thane smiled.  
“I feel like people wouldn’t like the new princess to walk around nude.” Pyrrha smiled.  
“Okay fine.” Thane faux sighed in disappointment, “I think Noelle has a dress that would fit you.”  
“Thank you.” Pyrrha laid back down while Thane retrieved the dress. He returned with a dress and a box with a giant red bow on it.  
“Before you open the other wedding gifts.” Thane laid the dress onto the bed, “I was hoping you’d open mine first.”  
Pyrrha undid the bow and opened the box revealing Storm’s Eye. A great sword wider than his hand, and almost as tall as Mother’s Mercy.  
“Storm’s Eye?” Pyrrha examined the sword, “Are you sure?”  
“Without a doubt.” Thane nodded, “I want to give this to you, and hope to pass it down to our child.”  
“Our own family heirloom.” Pyrrha smiled, “What does it do? Besides Jaune I’ve never seen anyone carry a weapon that didn’t have some sort of secret.”  
“It’s not a gun if that’s what you’re asking.” Thane joked, “Although it does have a spell forged into the metal. The spell consumes all the chaos generated in battle.” Pyrrha raised an eyebrow, “Adrenaline, ecstasy, anger, fear, any and every emotion that a warrior feels, Storm’s Eye absorbs it, turns it into energy for the wielder, and fuels him to fight longer.”  
“Perfect weapon for a warrior.” Pyrrha lifted the massive blade and saw the strap in the box. She quickly got dressed in Noelle’s borrowed dress and strapped Storm’s Eye on her back.

* * *

The tournament would take hours to set up, while Thane was preoccupied, Pyrrha went to see an old friend.  
“Arachanox?” Pyrrha called out.  
“Ah, the newest Mrs. Stormheart.” Arachanox descended, “So wonderful to see you! Why are you here and not with your husband?”  
“He’s setting up a tournament.” Pyrrha explained, “Like something out of an old story. Jousting, drinking, pie eating, where anybody can enter, and everybody has a shot at glory!”  
“That sounds like Thane.” Arachanox scanned the library for anything the Chrome Horde missed, “Know the men who follow you, and let them know you. Don’t ask your men to die for a stranger.”  
“Who said that?” Pyrrha asked.  
“King Stormheart.” Arachanox found a book on the ground and put it back on the shelf, “Practically beat it into Thane’s brain when he was grooming him for the throne.”  
“History?” Pyrrha asked.  
“It’s on the list.” Arachanox looked down at Pyrrha, “Why? What’s going on Pyrrha?”  
“Who is Tiamat?” Pyrrha dodged his other question.  
“Oof.” Arachanox sighed, “That’s a part of history I wish I could forget.”  
“Who is she?” Pyrrha leaned over the railing.  
“More like who was she.” Arachanox sighed, “Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing. I’m not answering any more questions until you tell me what’s going on.”  
“I had a dream about her.” Pyrrha admitted, “Well not her, she was dead.”  
“Oh.” Arachanox descended then came back up with a book made of rainbow scales, “Long before the Moons created angel and man, they made the first beasts. Each one made a dragon and gave them a territory.”  
Pyrrha opened the book and saw maps where each dragon ruled.  
“But…” Arachanox’s voice fell, “Like all other creatures they were greedy and ambitious. They weren’t satisfied with their territories, so they tried taking others. Afraid their creations would consume the world, but the moons couldn’t bring themselves to destroy their precious creations. So, they made one to rule them all: Tiamat.”  
Pyrrha found a page with a dragon with five heads, each one a color of the moon.  
“Peace wouldn’t be the word I’d use…” Arachanox continued the tale, “But Tiamat kept the others in line…sort of. They couldn’t do anything to her at the moment, so they began stockpiling. Any humans were turned into soldiers, dragon-spawn generals were appointed, and they waited. The White Dragons had soldiers, Blue had monks, Green had tribesmen, Red had alchemists, and Purple had cannibals. Now they just had to wait.”  
“Why not just kill Tiamat themselves?” Pyrrha asked.  
“Because she’s a goddess.” Arachanox explained, “She’d just reincarnate. They had to wait for something big, and something big happened. Thane the Kinslayer. He killed her and not just killed; he knew about the recarnation. So, he took her blood, flesh, bones, he even took her scream, and turned her into a suit of armor. Her soul bound to it, unable to reincarnate.”  
“Why would he do that?” Pyrrha turned the page and found a picture of a man on a throne in a suit of armor resembling dragon skulls.  
“That is a story for another time.” Arachanox shook his head, “It’s on the bottom of the library if you’re that interested. With Tiamat “dead” and Bahamut nowhere to be found, the elders of each dragon and their heirs met. As expected, a fight broke out for dominance, and in the midst of all the fighting the green elders lost their heir. When that happened the green elders and their tribes retreated to their forest. Fearing the loss of theirs the Blue elders and their monks withdrew to their mountains. The Reds weren’t front line fighters, they knew they wouldn’t last a minute against White or Purple. The last two started a war that lasted a century? It ended when they each took the other’s seat of power. They traded them back and with that ended the war.”  
“Just like that?” Pyrrha reached the end of the book.  
“Just like that.” Arachanox nodded, “Purple would take a territory, White took it back. Vice versa. That was their whole war. They were tired, their generals exhausted, and countless of their men were dead. My guess? They just wanted to go home.”  
“Sort of anticlimactic don’t you think?” Pyrrha closed the book.  
“You tell me after you spend a solid one-hundred years waging a war you’ll never win.” Arachanox shrugged.  
“Hey Arachanox…” Pyrrha’s hand trailed over the scales on the book cover, “Can I see the dragon section of the library? Specifically, robot dragons?”  
“Robot dragons?” Arachanox picked her up and descended to the dragon section, “Uhh, Purple Moon clans grew fake dragons in their Flesh Pits. Does that count?”  
“No…” Pyrrha began down the aisle, “I’ll take a look around. Thank you Arachanox.”  
“Anytime Pyrrha.” Arachanox left her alone.  
Pyrrha scoured every scaled tomb she could get her hands on. But none of them had the answers she was looking for. She made it out of the dragon section and was in prophecies. Some were fascinating, others were…interesting.  


* * *

_ **And it is written, Lucifer will bring warrior out of time to the past. The combination of her modern knowledge and ancient magics will allow her, and her alone to complete the quest lost to time. To Slay the Demon Tyrant, push back the Eternal Darkness, and fight for the freedom of her people and the glory of their metal.** _

_ **  
And it is written, with three blood sacrifices, over three days, the last before midnight on the final day of the final harvest the Seal of Samhain will break. As he rises, creatures of the night rise with him.** _

_ **  
And it is written, with a gathering of ferries a pillar of fire will enter the Mortal Plain when the moons abandon the sky, through a place of unholy carnage. Through the fire will stand a pale horse, and she that sat atop him carried a scythe. When she has risen, they too shall rise, and from her and through her.** _

_ **  
And it is written, the Seal of Fimbulwinter will break when a righteous man breaks his vows to the gods. As he breaks, so shall it break. It shall span three winters, snow shall fall in all directions, once the last flake falls, the end of all life begins.  
** _

* * *

The book slipped out of Pyrrha’s hands and hit the floor with a slam. She dashed out of the library without even saying goodbye. She hopped on the first carriage to the fair grounds.  
“Pyrrha!” Jaune called out running up to her, “You’re just in time! Yang just challenged the Lord Commander!”  
Before Pyrrha could respond, Jaune took her by the wrist and dragged her to the table. On one side was Yang, the other was Lord Uther. A squire served each a horn filled to the brim with ale.  
Lord Uther downed the whole horn in one gulp and slammed the horn down. Yang smirked and did the same. The squire then brought out two horns. Lord Uther drank one then the other. Yang examined the two horns before she got a devilish idea. She cut the tips off and drank both horns at the same time.  
Lord Uther applauded Yang, he stood up, and Yang was ready to cheer in victory. Until Lord Uther picked up an entire cask over his head, he ripped out the nozzle, and drank the entire barrel dry. He dropped the cask on the ground and planted his foot on top of it.  
“That the best you got?” Lord Uther dared.  
“There’s a reason people call me the Iron Liver.” Yang jumped up and found another cask.  
“You’re the only who calls you that!” Ruby yelled.  
“Ruby!” Yang snipped back.  
She rolled her eyes at her little sister before punching a hole in the cask and dunking her head in and began drinking. When it was light enough, Yang lifted the cask up and downed the rest.  
“Ha!” Yang hiccuped cherry faced and could barely stand, “What…hic…what else you got Kitty?”  
“I got one more thing.” Lord Uther pulled out a tiny ceramic jar sealed with wax. He broke the seal and took a deep whiff of the aroma inside. He poured a capful for the two of them. He slammed his back and offered the other to Yang.  
“That’s…hic…it?” Yang glared at the capful.  
“Are you backing out?” Lord Uther asked.  
“No!” Yang yelled louder than she needed. She took the capful and downed it. “Oooh! Shats smoosh! I canth feelth my…my…the thinghy I makey wordies with…” Yang fell on her back and passed out.  
“Yang?!” Ruby rushed to her sister’s side, “She’s never lost before!”  
“She’s never had Aged Metal Sake before.” Lord Uther showed Ruby the bottle, “Prince Wilhelm’s own special brew.”  
“Jaune, I need to ask you something.” Pyrrha pulled him aside, “Do you believe in destiny?”  
“What?” Jaune tilted his head.  
“Read this.” Pyrrha shoved the Fimbulwinter book into his hands.  
Jaune read it over then closed the book, “Okay what does this have to do with destiny?”  
“Don’t you see?” Pyrrha opened the book at pointed at a phrase, “What if Thane is the righteous man? What if he broke his word for not marrying royalty?”  
“That’s pretty flimsy Pyr.” Jaune read over the page, “If this is true why would his parents let you two get married?’  
“Think about it, snow began falling last night. Jaune it’s a vow to the gods.” Pyrrha emphasized, “I…I’ve been having doubts about this whole thing…Maybe it’s destiny saying we shouldn’t be together.” she whispered.  
“Fuck destiny.” Jaune growled.  
“Jaune!” Pyrrha gasped, “Language.”  
“No!” Jaune shook his head, “Fate, Destiny, Gods’ Plan, they’re all a bunch of lies you poor-stupid-son-of-a-bitch!” The look on Pyrrha’s face almost made him stop then and there, but she needed to hear this, “Fate is a lie told by the Gods to keep us in line. You know what’s real? People. Families. We shape our own destiny. We hold the hammer and chisel to carve our own way. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves.” He took her hands and made them feel her belly. “This is what’s real. What you and Thane made, what Weiss and I made…”  
“You and Weiss?” Pyrrha asked, “Is there anybody who isn’t carrying a baby?”  
“Yang and Ruby?” Jaune shrugged.  
Pyrrha laughed then her scroll went off, so did Jaune’s, and everybody else’s. They opened their scrolls and saw a red screen with a black queen chess piece. Ruby dropped her scroll and fell to her knees when she saw Penny’s dismembered body behind the chess piece.  
“This was not a tragedy.” Cinder’s voice came out of everybody’s scrolls, “This was not an accident. This is what happens when you hand over your trust. Your safety. Your children. To men who claim to be our guardians. But are in reality nothing more than men. Our academy’s headmasters wield more power than most armies and one was audacious enough to control both.”  
“Lord Uther.” Lek’Dazuht materialized next to him startling everybody, “The creatures of grimm are gathering at the border. It’s only a matter of time before they break through.”  
“Lord Commander!” A chrome spider ran up to his boot, “Hostile air forces are inbound on Vale!”  
“What is Ozpin teaching his students?” They returned their attention to their scrolls, “Huntsmen and Huntresses should carry themselves with honor and mercy. Yet I have witnessed neither. Perhaps Ozpin felt that defeating Atlas in the tournament would gather supporters to usurp King Stormheart after he himself usurped Ozpin, and distract the people that a foreign monarch did a better job of protecting the city and unifying Faunus and Humans more than someone we chose to be in that position of power. Honestly, I have no idea who is right and who is wrong. But I know that the existence of peace is fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves. As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you; the situation there is…equally undesirable. Our kingdoms are on the brink of war and yet we the citizens are left in the dark. So, I ask you: “When the first shots are fired, who do you think you can trust?” The signal cut out.  
“She loves to hear herself talk, doesn’t she?” Lord Uther scoffed when the alarms went off.  
“Grimm have breached the perimeter!” A solider radioed, Lek’Dazuht had borrowed one off an unconscious solider.  
“Hostiles have breached our airspace!” A different chrome spider reported, “It’s the White Fang!”  
“What happened to the treaty?!” Blake asked the chrome spider.  
“Not all of the Faunus agreed.” The chrome spider shrugged, “They bided their time until now!”

* * *

“King Stormheart let me explain.” Ozpin stood in front of Qrow and Glynda.  
“I told you to tell the people about Salem.” King Stormheart ignored him, “I told you that lies, and secrets tear kingdoms apart!”  
“Father!” An orb spoke, “It’s an ambush! Sleeper agents in the White Fang are attacking both Vale and the flying stadium!”  
“My king.” Lek’Dazuht appeared in the office, “The creatures of grimm have breached the perimeter and the White Fang are airlifting more into the city.”  
“My king.” Lord Uther’s voice came out of a different orb, “We need to get you, the queen, and the princesses to safety.”  
“No!” King Stormheart answered calling Mother’s Mercy to his hand, “I will defend my people. Empty the armory, arm every person healthy enough to stand. If they can’t stand give them bows.”  
“Father we don’t have that many weapons.” The orb reported.  
King Stormheart grabbed the orb and yelled into it, “Then arm them with sticks! Scraps of metal! Whatever’s handy! The city will not fall!” He turned to Ozpin with solid blood red eyes. “This is your fault; many people are going to die today. Their blood is on your hands.”  
“My king.” Lord Uther carefully asked, “What if the city does fall?”  
“Sienna, what’s Mountain Glen’s status?” King Stormheart asked another orb.  
“I’ve closed the gates.” Sienna reported, “The population is mostly children and elderlies. Half the fighting men I had were sleeper agents, the remaining few are fending off the grimm trying to climb over the walls.”  
“Lord Commander.” King Stormheart went back to Uther.  
“Yes, my king?” Lord Uther answered immediately.  
“Secure the train between Vale and Mountain Glen.” King Stormheart ordered, “Evacuate those who can’t fight. Sienna?”  
“I’ll get the hospital ready.” Sienna responded.  
“By your command.” Lord Uther responded.  
“Get to the city.” King Stormheart told Qrow, Ozpin, and Glynda, “Vale will not fall today.”  
They took the elevator to the main floor, King Stormheart, Qrow, and Glynda ran out. But Ozpin stayed behind and descended further under the school.

* * *

Pyrrha screamed and grabbed her belly.  
“Pyrrha?!” Jaune knelt, “What’s wrong?!”  
“It’s the sword!” Pyrrha used Jaune as a crutch, “Thane said it absorbs the primal chaos of battle and sends the energy to the wielder. Cinder’s Invasion!” Pyrrha screamed again, “The Atlisian Military, the White Fang, there’s too much! I think I’m going into labor!”  
“What?!” Jaune almost ripped out his hair, “Okay. Calm down…you helped deliver three of your sisters. You can do this. To the hospital!”  
“No!” Pyrrha shook her head, “The civilians and injured students are probably filling it as we speak.”  
“Then what do I do?” Jaune began to panic.  
“Get me to Stormhaven!” Pyrrha ordered.  
Jaune spotted the valet stand, he grabbed the first pair of keys he saw and pulled up right in front of Pyrrha.  
“I didn’t know you could drive.” Pyrrha jumped in.  
“I drove a tractor on the ranch.” Jaune shrugged.  
“Not the same thing!” Pyrrha quickly fastened her seatbelt.  
“Close enough!” Jaune slammed his foot down and began toward Stormhaven. The drawbridge was down, he slammed the breaks almost crashing into the main keep.  
Jaune helped Pyrrha out of the car and helped her to her room.  
“Thane!” Pyrrha screamed as Jaune helped her into bed, “Baby!”  
There was a bright flash and Thane appeared before them.  
“Whoa.” Jaune gasped.  
“Pyrrha?” Thane took her hand.  
“It’s time!” She cried.  
There was another explosion, Pyrrha screamed as the resulting chaos fed her baby. Thane ripped off the lower half of Pyrrha’s dress, Jaune quickly covered her with the bed sheets. He handed Thane a tank-top from a nearby dresser, he covered his eyes as Pyrrha changed into the more relaxed wear.  
“Uther and the Thaneguard are battling the grimm and the Darkguard are battling the machines.” Thane explained wiping the sweat from her brow, “Prustmun…Jaune, I need you to watch the door.”  
“By your command Drog.” Jaune bowed and exited the door locking it behind him. Pyrrha’s screams were so loud Jaune had to cover his ears. At the end of the hallway he thought he saw a pair of golden eyes, once Pyrrha’s screams died down he heard the click of heels.  
“Blake?” Jaune questioned, “What are you doing here?”  
“Guess again.” Cinder smirked as she stepped into the moon light slipping through the window.  
“Cinder.” Jaune hissed raising his shield.  
“You know my name…” Cinder began, “And I could care less about yours.”  
“What are you doing here?” Jaune asked.  
“The original plan was to have the Queen-to-be miscarry.” Cinder explained, “But since she’s giving birth right now. I have a better idea” I’m just going to take the little munchkin.”  
“That was very forthcoming…” Jaune blinked.  
Cinder shrugged, “You’re not going to live long enough to change anything.”  
Cinder fired and arrow and Jaune raised his shield just in time. The arrow penetrated the shield and stopped right before his eye. He lowered it slightly and began to move forward, Cinder materialized another and fired again. Jaune blocked and kept moving, Cinder fired a third and once again Jaune blocked. He was right in front of her, he thrusted his sword forward, but Cinder deflected with her bow and jumped back.  
“Maybe you aren’t as useless as I was led to believe.” Cinder complimented as she broke her bow in two and reforged them into two short swords. She dropped into a stance with one sword over her head and the other in front of her, “Let’s see what all that training has built up to.”  
Jaune raised his sword and broke the glass arrows in his shield, “Come on then.”  
A quick game of cat and mouse ensued, Cinder would attack and Jaune would block. Cinder swept his feet, he jumped into the air. She reversed one sword and drove it into his shield, she followed with a kick forcing him back. She brought both her swords down and the game resumed. Jaune raised his shield and locked her in a deadlock. He brought his sword from behind his shield and started attacking trying to put Cinder on the defense. She kept blocking his strikes until a second deadlock. She then began pounding his shield with both swords. In her blind assault she missed, and now in her blind spot Jaune swept her feet knocking her onto her back.  
“I will not let you pass!” Jaune pointed his sword at her.  
Cinder jumped to her feet, she spun in the air attacking his shield. Jaune parried and thrust his sword forward, Cinder dodged, but Jaune quickly adjusted and yanked his sword back leaving a gash on Cinder’s cheek. She touched the wound and saw the blood on her fingers, then she saw the smirk on his face. The scales were balanced, her advantage: his arrogance. His advantage: her rage. Jaune thrusted forward and turned his shield so the point was facing her. Cinder deflected the thrust, blocked the shield strike, and kicked him in the chest in response. Jaune fell on his back, he quickly forced himself to his feet as Cinder did not let up on her attacks. She blocked his strikes, then knelt and cut inside his thigh. Jaune screamed and Cinder returned to bashing his shield with both swords. Jaune was losing blood fast, he tried to attack, but Cinder slashed across his belly under his breastplate.  
Cinder made an x with her swords and disarmed him. She blocked a shield strike and severed his arm at the elbow. Jaune threw a punch, Cinder merely leaned back then drove a sword into his side directly under his breastplate.  
Jaune looked down and saw his blood coating her sword and hand. Cinder sat him down against the wall.  
“You fought bravely.” Cinder admitted, “I hope you take solace in knowing you far exceeded my expectations, even though you never stood…”  
“Shut the fuck up…” Jaune coughed up a mouthful of blood, “Let me die in peace.”  
Cinder nodded, ripped the blade out, and began toward the room.  
Jaune closed his eyes and he saw the same thing he always saw every-time he closed them. Weiss, smiling back at him, with a baby no bigger than a loaf of bread in her arms. Jaune smiled as the borders of the image began to darken until it was consumed.

* * *

“My love?” Thane wiped her brow again.  
“How is this even possible?” Pyrrha watched with heavy eyelids as Thane wrapped an egg in a blanket and placed it with its sibling in a nearby basket. She tried to move but she’d lost all feeling in her lower half.  
Thane chuckled, “Dragons can lay up to five eggs in a single clutch.”  
“Humans don’t generally lay eggs…” Pyrrha’s vision was slipping in and out of blackness.  
“Then three must be a miracle.” Thane kissed her forehead, “Rest my love. They’ll be here when you awaken.”  
Pyrrha was already unconscious. Thane was about to grab the third egg when a bad feeling began to sliver up his spine. He couldn’t go for Storm’s Eye, the chaotic energies it was absorbing was helping Pyrrha’s recovery. He cracked his knuckles and prepared as the door flew into the room. He struck with an open palm and shattered the door.  
“Impressive.” Cinder applauded.  
Hunter growled and leapt into the air. But Cinder already had a dagger formed, she drove it into Hunter’s chest without a second thought. She tossed the deceased Cerberus against the wall and stared at Thane. She materialized her bow, took aim, and then materialized an arrow.  
Thane braced himself as he watched Cinder pull back the arrow. He was ready, until at the last second, she turned the bow and fired it at the unconscious Pyrrha. There was a sudden impact as he dove for her. He frantically searched her body for any wound, thankfully the only blood was from the birth. That was until he looked down and saw the arrowhead protruding from his chest. He watched the blood trickledown the tip onto the sheets when a second arrow pierced through. He saw the eggs in the basket nearby and quickly threw the spare pelts on top of them. He looked back and saw the final egg still between her legs. He tried to move and surprisingly felt no pain when a third arrow penetrated his chest.  
“Don’t worry.” Cinder cooed as she stepped forward and picked up the final egg Pyrrha had given birth to, “I’ll take great care of this little one.”  
With his final act, Thane summoned a ball of white fire and lightning in his hand. When Cinder turned to leave, he unleashed the spell with what little strength he had left.  
Cinder screamed as she dropped the egg back onto the bed. She tried to open her left eye, but the flames had melted her eyelids. She tried to extend her arm, but all she felt was bloodcurdling pain. The lightning had contorted her arm into an unbearable position and the fire charred it to the bone. Fiercesome blisters coated almost every inch of her flesh above the hip. She dropped her bow, grabbed the egg, and began to limp out of the room.  
“No…” Thane reached out, but a hand grabbed his shoulder, “Leonidas?” Thane looked back at Pyrrha and saw his body laying on top of hers, “What is this?”  
“You know what it is my Prince.” Qaphsiel appeared behind Leonidas.  
“No…” Thane went to run his hand through Pyrrha’s hair but his hand phased right through her, “No, I can’t leave her.”  
“I’m sorry my son.” Leonidas bowed his head, “But you must, just as I did.”  
“I-I didn’t die in battle!” Thane shook his head, “That means I’m condemned to walk the Mortal Plain!”  
“You died defending your family my Prince.” Qaphsiel lay her hand on his other shoulder, “There is no greater honor than that.”  
“You died defending my daughter.” Leonidas squeezed, “It is my honor to welcome you to Ukkzukzur.”  
“I can’t leave her…” Thane shook his head, “Not while our child is missing.”  
“I’m sorry.” Qaphsiel sighed, “I truly am, I can give you one more moment. Just one.”  
Thane found himself back in his body, Leonidas and Qaphsiel were gone. He crawled over to his wife and pressed his forehead to hers, “I am sorry I broke my word…I am going to make a new vow…even though the Thirteen Heavens are between us…I will always love you and I will always be looking your way.” Thane lifted his head and pressed their lips together one final time. When he broke the kiss, he felt Leonidas and Qaphsiel’s hands once again. This time he stood up as the lighted shined down on them. He whistled and Hunter’s soul collided with his leg. As he scratched between the middle head’s ears, Jaune joined him in the light. He took one last look at Pyrrha before their souls ascended.

* * *

** _Did you know this warrior?  
No, but I know his story…I know all their stories.  
None of them ever think it’ll end like this.  
Reports have been coming in from all over, outposts destroyed. Lot more dead kids out there…warriors.  
Death is the fate of all warriors…a fate we too may soon embrace.  
Fate ain’t written…this fight’s just begun._ **

* * *

Pyrrha’s eyelids fluttered open and she looked around and saw Ruby sitting in the corner reading a weapons magazine.  
“Stereotypical much?” Pyrrha asked.  
“Pyrrha!” Ruby threw her hands up and ran up to hug her, “You’ve been out for days!”  
Pyrrha was shocked to learn how long she had been asleep for, but nonetheless returned the hug in kind with a smile. She felt something wet on her shoulder, then she heard sniffling. She tried to look at her but Ruby refused to move.  
“Ruby?” Pyrrha asked.  
“Jaune’s dead…” Ruby continued to cry into her shoulder.  
“What?!” Pyrrha gasped.  
Ruby nodded now fully sobbing, “H-He’s dead and so is…” Ruby’s breath hitched.  
“Who else?” Pyrrha asked.  
Ruby shook her head and tried to run but Pyrrha’s grip was iron on her wrists, “Y-you’re hurting me…”  
“Who else?” Pyrrha asked with much more of an edge.  
Ruby stopped trying to run and looked back at her, “T-Thane is dead…a-and one of your eggs is missing.”  
All color drained from Pyrrha’s face, the shine in her eyes snuffed out, not even a whimper escaped her lips as she let Ruby go. Thane is dead… repeated over and over like a sadistic mantra. Slowly feeling began to return. First was her heart pounding in her chest. Her breaths became pants, quickly turning to hyperventilation. She squeezed her eyes shut and grabbed her head. Tears began to fall like a torrent.  
Then a wail of pure sorrow - powerful enough to repel even the grimm - ripped through Stormhaven. She screamed until her throat couldn’t produce anymore sound and she chocked on her sobs. She silently sobbed on her bed even as Ruby wrapped her arms around her.  
Neither Ruby nor Pyrrha knew how long Pyrrha had cried on Ruby’s shoulder. Nor did they notice when Weiss – equally red eyed and sniffly enter the room. She stood next to Pyrrha with a bundle in her arms.  
“You…” Weiss wiped her nose, “While you were out, one of them hatched. Meet your son.”  
Pyrrha gasped as she took the newborn into her arms. She couldn’t help but smile away her tears as she watched the tiny one sleep. Then she saw the two little nubs on his forehead. Horns, just like his father.  
Pyrrha placed a hand on Weiss’ belly, “I can’t wait to meet yours.”  
Weiss placed her hands on top of Pyrrha’s, “If anything she’ll probably be a girl.”  
“What about the other?” Pyrrha inquired.  
“Still an egg.” Weiss nodded.  
“Pyrrha!” Nora burst into the room, “Oh my god Pyrrha, there’s so much you’ve missed!” her bubbly charm soon deflated, “So much death…”  
“There’s going to be more…” Pyrrha stunned everybody, “The killing will never stop until Cinder is dead.” Her eyes turned white, “I’m going to make her pay.” A pair of wings erupted from her back, “I am going to kill her.”  
“Weiss.” Jacques entered the room, “Time to go.”  
“Wait what?” Pyrrha kept glancing and the two of them, “What’s going on?”  
“I’m going back home…” Weiss admitted. Pyrrha looked at Ruby who looked at the floor.  
“Weiss you can’t leave…” Pyrrha objected.  
“I need to take care of my baby.” Weiss cut her off, “I need to keep my baby safe.” Pyrrha’s jaw dropped when she heard that. “I’m sor…”  
“Just go.” Pyrrha snapped.

* * *

A few weeks later

* * *

“Gods be praised they grow fast!” Ruby was busy chasing a dragon whelp with gray scales across the floor.  
“You can’t catch me Auntie!” The whelp spread its tiny wings and landed on the ceiling.  
“That’s cheating TeyTey!” Ruby complained, “You have wings!”  
“Teykiimkel.” Pyrrha entered the room and put her hands on her hips, “Are you giving Auntie Ruby a hard time?”  
“Auntie wanted to play tag.” Teykiimkel floated down and in front of her mother, “I won.”  
Pyrrha smiled at her daughter’s competitive attitude, she was taking after her mother.  
“Where’s your bother?” Pyrrha asked.  
“Zinjerbrom’s in the library.” Teykiimkel flew in a circle, “He didn’t want to play with us.”  
“Blake’s keeping him company.” Ruby added.  
“Pyrrha.” Adam stepped in, “We got her.”  
Pyrrha’s face turned dark as she turned back to Adam. Ruby quickly ran to Teykiimkel.  
“Tag!” Ruby used her semblance to escape.  
“No fair!” Teykiimkel flew after Ruby.  
Pyrrha followed Adam to the basement where Mercury was tying Emerald to a chair. He quickly blindfolded her then ripped the tape off her mouth. She didn’t say anything nor even react.  
“Wake up!” Pyrrha slapped her, but she didn’t respond, “I said…” Pyrrha grabbed two small daggers, “Wake up!” She drove them into Emerald’s thighs. She screamed and thrashed in response. “Better. Where is my baby? Where?!”  
Emerald searched for the Pyrrha and spit. She missed and spat on a table. Pyrrha shook her head and hooked up jumper cables to the daggers. She turned on a nearby dust generator and the lightning dust inside came alive. Mercury shoved a belt in her mouth so she couldn’t bite her tongue. Pyrrha turned off the generator after about a minute.  
“Have you heard of the Ravens?” Pyrrha asked, “It was Mistral’s response to Atlas’ Ghost Program. Covert Special Agents that sort of thing. My mother was one of them, the stories she would tell. Did you know that Mistral had one of the worst power grids on Remnant? Given it’s size it makes sense, she told me about a time where if you flipped a switch the power wouldn’t come on for hours.”  
Pyrrha grabbed a different blade, this one was honed and thin enough to fit under the topmost layer of skin and peel.  
“This resulted in some more creative ways of making people talk.” Pyrrha dragged the blade across Emerald’s arm. Not enough to pierce the flesh, but enough to make her feel the sharpness, “She would talk about fingernail pulling, acid drops on bare skin, but my personal favorite was flaying.”  
Pyrrha pulled up a chair and sat in front of Emerald.  
“Did you know there’s more than one way to flay someone?” Pyrrha asked, “I could leave you out in the sun and peel it off from the burns. Or I could put you in a cauldron, fill it up to your neck, and watch it literally boil off. Or the simplest route, I just cut it off. Reports say you can last hours, days even without skin from the neck down. Where is my baby?”  
Mercury removed the belt and Emerald spit again. This time her aim was true and she hit Pyrrha. She calmly wiped her face then stuffed the wet rag into her mouth and turned on the generator. This time she waited two minutes before turning it off. Emerald’s breathing was ragged as Pyrrha pulled the rag out of her mouth.  
“See Mercury?” Pyrrha turned to him, “That’s why I didn’t go straight for the flaying. She can’t even handle some electricity in her legs.”  
“M-Mercury?” Emerald looked around, “What are you doing here?”  
“That’s a stupid question.” Mercury scoffed, “You kidnapped a baby.”  
“What do you care?” Emerald asked, “You said it yourself: “As long as I’m paid, I’m happy.”  
“I also told you what my father did to me.” Mercury raised his voice, “Did you honestly think I was going to stand by and let you do that to another kid?”  
Emerald scoffed, “You always were a pain in the ass…”  
“As interesting as this conversation is.” Pyrrha stepped back in, “Can we get back to the matter at hand?”  
“Can we get this blindfold off first?” Emerald asked.  
“Why?” Pyrrha asked, “So you can use your semblance and try to weasel your way out?”  
“Goddamn it Mercury.” Emerald glared.  
“Where is my baby?” Pyrrha returned to her chair.  
“Why didn’t you tell her Mercury?” Emerald coyly asked.  
“Don’t even try that shit Emerald.” Mercury glared, “You know damn well I don’t know how to get to her domain.”  
“Maybe.” Emerald shrugged, “But…”  
Pyrrha turned on the generator. Without the gag Emerald’s screams filled the air. Pyrrha turned it off and Emerald’s head began rocking back and forth. Adam threw a bucket of ice water on her waking her right back up.  
“Answer the fucking question!” Pyrrha screamed.  
“We have your kid!” Emerald screamed back, “And we are twisting it into our perfect killing machine! You will never see it until its tearing your throat out!”  
Pyrrha grabbed Adam’s sword and swiftly decapitated Emerald.  
“Is it true?” Pyrrha asked Mercury, “Are they torturing my baby?”  
“Not necessarily…” Mercury shook her head.  
“Don’t bullshit me Mercury!” Pyrrha snapped, “Are they torturing my baby?!”  
“Yes!” Mercury sighed punching the wall.  
“What will they do?” Pyrrha asked, “I need to know.”  
“Hazel will beat it until it can’t stand.” Mercury continued, “Then beat it some more. With Dr. Watts on her side, there’ll probably cybernetic augmentations. Tyrion is unpredictable, he’d most likely do what we’re doing, only more…he’s unstable…I don’t know what he has planned on a normal day. Same with Salem herself.”  
“Let’s send her a message then.” Pyrrha returned Adam his sword.  
“How?” Mercury asked.  
“Send her head to Dr. Watts.” Pyrrha instructed, “He’ll take it to Salem.”

* * *

“Your grace?” Dr. Watts entered the throne room with a metal box in hand.  
“Yes, Arthur what is it?” Salem asked putting down the glass of wine.  
“This was sent to me.” Dr. Watts placed the box on the table, “Addressed to you.”  
“Interesting.” Salem opened her hand and Dr. Watts handed her the letter, “Salem, Cinder Fall has murdered my husband, kidnapped my child, destroyed my home, and slaughtered my partner. I have no quarrel with you, I wish to address you mother-to-mother, wife-to-wife, Queen-to-Queen. Return my child to me, surrender Cinder fall, and you will never hear from me again. Continue to shelter her, and this is only the beginning.”  
Salem looked at Dr. Watts who just shrugged. Salem grabbed the handle at the top of the box and pulled. The walls fell down revealing Emerald’s severed head with her eyes gouged out. Salem raised an eyebrow and went back to the letter.  
“I know your next target is Haven academy.” She read, “I will be waiting for your response.” Salem folded the letter, sat back in her throne, and stared at the mutilated head. “What do you know about this?”  
“She married into the family.” Dr. Watts said, “She’s not the queen, she’s a would-be princess.”  
“So not only did we kill the princess’ husband we killed the actual queen’s son?” Salem asked.  
“It would seem so.” Dr. Watts nodded, “My sources say that the queen has shut herself off since her son’s death.”  
“Damn it Cinder.” Salem growled.  
“Your grace?” Dr. Watts backed away.  
“Have you ever seen a nature documentary Arthur?” Salem asked.  
Dr. Watts nodded.  
“Notice how animals are very protective are their children.” Salem explained, “How they’ll give their very lives to protect their young, rip to shreds anything they consider a threat to them.”  
Dr. Watts nodded as she continued.  
“Now imagine that same protective instinct backed by higher brain functions, the resources of three kingdoms, a dead husband, a stolen baby, and not to mention we have the woman responsible for both!”  
“What are your orders your grace?” Dr. Watts asked.  
“She wants her child back.” Salem smiled, “Fine, she’ll get it back. Tell Hazel and Tyrion to up the process.”  
“At once your grace.” Dr. Watts nodded and began out the door.  
“Make it slow and painful.” Salem tapped her fingers against the letter, “Her own child’s suffering is her own fault. Make Cinder’s especially so, considering its her fault we’re now in this mess.”  
“At once your grace.” Dr. Watts nodded.  
Salem opened her window and looked down at the Beowolves below. She grabbed Emerald’s head and tossed it to them. She watched as they clamored over each other as they ripped it to shreds.


End file.
